The Purest Heart
by Ryouko-Kitsune
Summary: Inuyasha and the gang meet up with a priestess who's life has been cursed by Naraku. Every man who sees her falls in love with her. But when she joins them, new romances arise, and Naraku isn't willing to give up so easily...InuKag Miroku? Sess?
1. A Cursed Life

I do not own Inuyasha or any of Rumiko Takahasi's charaters. Please enjoy my story!!!  
  
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The setting sun shone brightly as Kagome laid face-up on a soft patch of grass. She enjoyed the sun's warmth on her face. The wind blew strands of her hair across her face, lightly brushing the tip of her nose, making her want to sneeze. She brushed away the strands and closed her eyes, wondering how things were back in her era.  
  
"Kagome! Miroku and Inuyasha are back from the village!" cried Shippo.  
  
Kagome sat up and looked toward the horizon. There, she saw two figures walking toward the camp they had made the day before. They were about the same height, but one was dressed in the purple robes of a monk and he carried a staff. The other was dressed in a red kimono and an aging sword in an aging scabbard was tied around his waist.  
  
Kagome smiled and stood up. She walked over toward Sango, who was preparing a fire, and said, "They better have been able to get some food in town."  
  
"One can only hope with those two," replied Sango, "And knowing them, they either had to kill someone, or Miroku had to pull his 'an ominous cloud hangs over this city' charade."  
  
"I heard that," said Miroku as he and Inuyasha entered the camp and set the food by the fire, "I'll have you know that it's not a charade. I'm simply providing a public service."  
  
"Right. And how many women have agreed to bear your child now?" asked Kagome, sarcastically.  
  
"I didn't ask anyone anything of the sort!" said Miroku, blushing.  
  
"I counted about five, but there could have been more." said Inuyasha.  
  
"Just as I suspected." said Kagome.  
  
"Well.... uh.... anyway we have the food. Does it really matter how we got it?" asked Miroku.  
  
Kagome sighed, "Well, I guess what's done is done."  
  
"Yea, whatever. Let's hurry up and eat already." said Inuyasha impatiently.  
  
"Can't you think about something besides your stomach for two seconds?" shouted Kagome.  
  
"What are you saying?" shouted Inuyasha.  
  
"I'm saying that you can't think about anything but your stomach! You're so selfish Inuyasha!" cried Kagome.  
  
Miroku put one hand to his forehead and said, "Here we go again!" He knelt down beside Sango and began to help her cook their dinner.  
  
"I'm selfish? What about you?" shouted Inuyasha.  
  
"Are you implying something?" cried Kagome.  
  
"Yes I am!" said Inuyasha.  
  
Kagome's face turned pink, then she said one simple word, "Sit!"  
  
Inuyasha crashed face-first to the ground, making a large hole.  
  
"Serves you right!" said Kagome as she took a seat beside the fire.  
  
Inuyasha got up, hand rubbing his head painfully, walked over to the other side of the camp, and sat cross-legged on the ground. He turned his back to the camp and watched the setting sun.  
  
"So, did you hear anything in town?" asked Shippo.  
  
"Actually, we heard about a town not too far from here that has constant demon problems. They say that there is a woman in the town who protects it. She also protects an ancient sword. The same sword that was forged by Midoriko, the creator of the sacred Shikon Jewel. A mere woman could not have that kind of ability on her own. I think she might possess a shard of the Shikon Jewel." said Miroku.  
  
"So, this woman is some kind of demon slayer?" asked Sango as she put rice on each of their plates.  
  
"I'm not sure, but she is very well known. They also say that the priestess's beauty is beyond compare." replied Miroku.  
  
"I knew that there was something more than a shard of the Shikon Jewel involved." said Kagome, angrily.  
  
"Is that supposed to mean something?" asked Miroku, calmly.  
  
Sango glared at Miroku and Kagome rolled her eyes. "Well, if there are Shikon shards involved, we should check it out." said Kagome.  
  
Shippo looked over at Inuyasha and shouted, "Hey Inuyasha! Come and eat!"  
  
Inuyasha stood up and made his way over to the others. He sat next to Miroku, making sure he avoided eye contact with Kagome.   
  
They ate their meal in silence, pondering the events of the next day. Once they had finished, Sango and Kagome collected the dishes and Miroku went into the woods for his nightly meditation.  
  
Without a word, Inuyasha stood up and took the first watch. Kagome watched Inuyasha climb a tree and perch himself on one of the higher branches. She sighed and unraveled her sleeping bag.  
  
"Why does he have to be like that?" thought Kagome. She got into her sleeping bag and closed her eyes.  
  
  
  
She wasn't sure how long she had slept before she heard a loud roaring sound and then a large thud. Kagome sprang up and looked around wildly. When she found the source of the noise, she froze.   
  
A huge wasp demon was lying on the ground about fifty feet away from the camp. Kagome ran to Inuyasha, who was standing by Miroku, Sango, and Shippo.  
  
Next to the huge wasp demon, stood a young woman holding a bow in her hand. Her hair blew across her face in the light wind, showing only her eyes. They couldn't tell who she was, or what she looked like. Her eyes glittered in the moonlight. She walked over to the wasp demon, grabbed hold of the arrow that was lodged in its chest, and in one swift motion, retrieved it from the wasp demon. She wiped the blood off on the grass. The point of the arrowhead glinted, showing razor-sharp edges. Then, just as quickly as she appeared, she disappeared into the dark forest.  
  
After a few moments of silence, Inuyasha spoke, "Who was that?"  
  
"I don't know, but I think we can find some answers tomorrow in the village." replied Miroku.  
  
  
  
As the sun rose above the horizon, the small group made their way to the village. As they began to see the outline of the village in the distance, Inuyasha spoke up, "whoever killed that demon last night was very powerful. We're going to have to be very careful in this village."  
  
"Why's that, Inuyasha?" asked Kagome.  
  
"This particular village lies at the edge of the Demon Forest. It is said that all demons originated from that very forest." replied a small voice.  
  
Inuyasha looked at his shoulder and saw a tiny flea sitting comfortably there. "If it isn't Myoga the flea. Where have you been?" asked Inuyasha.  
  
"I was searching for information on the whereabouts of the remaining shards of the Shikon Jewel." replied Myoga.  
  
"Did you get any?" asked Kagome.  
  
"Actually, I was told that a priestess in this very village has collected shards of the jewel from the demons that she has slain." said Myoga as he pointed to the village in the distance.  
  
"Great. If she's just a priestess, there should be no problem stealing the shards from her." said Inuyasha.  
  
"Ah, master, be weary. This is no ordinary priestess. She possesses power that exceeds even the Lady Kikyo's. She is not one you should take lightly." said Myoga.  
  
"Well, we'll see how powerful she is when we get there." said Inuyasha, bitterly.  
  
After a few minutes, they reached the entrance to the village. It was rather large. There were about one hundred huts and a large shrine. In the center of the village there was a large flower garden.  
  
"That's odd. I didn't think a garden would be able to survive if this place has a demon problem." said Shippo, studying the flowers closely.  
  
"Ah, but that's just it. The reason the flowers have survived is because no demon has passed through those gates." said Myoga, pointing to the entrance to the village.  
  
A young woman dressed in the garb of a priestess knelt beside the flowers. Her hair was the color of Shippo's and it flowed and danced in the light summer breeze. Kagome noticed that she had a quiver of arrows strung on her back and a sword at her waist. As they got closer, she turned around, saw them, and smiled.   
  
"Hello. Can I help you with something?" she asked. Her voice was sweet and singsongy. As soon as the men saw her, their jaws dropped. She had crystal clear blue eyes and a smiling face. On each side of her face a lock of hair was tied with a braided cord and attached to the cord were two silver bells. She was the most beautiful thing they had ever seen.  
  
"Yes, actually. Are you the priestess that protects this village?" asked Kagome.  
  
"Yes I am. What can I do for you?" asked the woman, smiling.  
  
Miroku went up to the priestess, took her hands in his, and said, "You are even more beautiful than I expected. I have never seen a more lovely face in my life! I am the honorable monk, Miroku. What might your name be?"  
  
The priestess looked stunned and Sango's face turned bright red. She went over to him and smacked him in the back of the head with her boomerang bone.  
  
"You'll have to excuse him. He doesn't know how to keep his hands to himself." said Sango, angrily.  
  
Inuyasha walked over to the priestess and studied her closely. He clenched his hands into fists, trying desperately not to run his fingers through her hair.  
  
Kagome looked at Inuyasha and was stunned to see a look in his eyes that had once been for Kikyo. Suddenly, Inuyasha placed his hands on the priestess's waist and lightly caressed her cheek.  
  
"Hey Inuyasha! What's the big idea?" shouted Kagome, her anger building.  
  
"I fear this is my fault. Please follow me." said the priestess as she tore herself away from Inuyasha's grasp. Inuyasha looked stunned, then saddened by her departure. She lead the small party to one of the smaller buildings in the shrine. Inside, herbs hung from the ceiling to dry, a small bed sat in the far corner, and a small table stood in the middle of the room.  
  
She invited them all to sit down. Once everyone was seated, the priestess grabbed some herbs from the ceiling. She crushed them in a small bowl and added them to two small cups of water. She put one cup in front of Inuyasha and one cup in front of Miroku.  
  
"What did you mean? How could have those two's actions been your fault?" asked Sango.  
  
"It's a very long story. Oh, by the way, my name's Kotori." said the priestess, smiling.  
  
"I'm Kagome, this is Sango, this is Shippo, and this is Inuyasha. You've already met Miroku." said Kagome.  
  
"It's nice to meet you all. And I'm sorry if their actions angered you. They were not doing it of their own accord." said Kotori.  
  
"Why did you give that mixture of herbs only to Inuyasha and Miroku?" asked Sango.  
  
"Oh, well it's a mixture to stop the effects of my curse. It only affects men." replied Kotori.  
  
"What kind of curse?" asked Shippo.  
  
"Well, some years ago now, the demon Naraku came to this village in search of the sacred sword I protect. The Kenakari. I was ready to fight him, but when he entered the shrine and saw me, the sword was no longer what he wanted, it was me. When I refused him, he put a curse on me. He said that because I refused him, I would never know true love. Now, every man that lays eyes on me falls in love with me. The only thing that stops the effects of the curse is to give the men that mixture. Once they consume it, they see me for who I truly am." said Kotori.  
  
"That doesn't seem much like a curse." said Kagome.  
  
"Naraku knew that I could never love anyone who did not truly return my love. Every time a new man enters the village, it kills me inside because I know the feelings they have for me are not true, no matter how bad I want them. He knew that I would never go with any man as long as the curse was over my head so he believes that all he has to do is simply bide his time and wait until I give in."  
  
"Wow. So when Naraku couldn't have you, he made it so nobody could." said Kagome.  
  
"Yes. He also made me immortal. I can be slain, but I cannot die by sickness or old age. After Naraku left, he killed many of the villagers. Including my parents." said Kotori.  
  
"That's terrible. I never thought that Naraku could be so jealous, or could even be capable of love." said Kagome, thoughtfully.  
  
Inuyasha sniffed the mixture in the cup then drank it in one gulp. It was bitter, but he felt like his head was cleared of a thick fog. He looked at Kotori and realized that his feelings for her had changed. Now he simply thought she was just another human, though he still thought her beautiful.  
  
Kotori noticed that Miroku refused to touch his drink. She pushed it toward him and said, "Miroku-sama, you must drink this. Your mind will no longer be clouded by the curse."  
  
"I rather like the feelings I have for you, Kotori my darling. I do not wish to rid myself of them." replied Miroku.  
  
"Those feelings are not true. Please drink it." said Kotori.  
  
"Could you help me take it?" asked Miroku, grinning.  
  
Kotori sighed, "If that is your wish, let it be so."  
  
She took the cup from Miroku and sat next to him. He grabbed her hips and sat her in his lap, making sure that she faced him.  
  
"Miroku! Stop this now!" shouted Sango.  
  
"Please do not be angry with him. The curse is what is making him act this way." said Kotori. She pushed Miroku down on the floor. She placed one leg on each side of him, pinning him to the ground.   
  
He was surprised at her forcefulness, but then he put his hands on her hips. Ignoring his gesture, she took the cup and put it to his lips. He swallowed it in two gulps. Kotori sat up and placed the cup on the table. She tried to stand up, but Miroku's hands still clasped her waist. She turned and looked at him in surprise. He smiled at her, but said nothing.  
  
"Why didn't it work? It worked for everyone else. It even worked for the half-breed." said Kotori.  
  
"I guess that my feelings for you are true." replied Miroku, smirking.  
  
"Oh please!" said Sango and Kagome in unison.  
  
"Wait a minute! How did you know that I'm half demon?" asked Inuyasha suspiciously.  
  
"Well, my enchanted bells didn't ring," said Kotori, pointing to the bells tied to her hair, "They only ring for things that are a threat to me or my village. They ring twice for when a full demon or even a half demon approaches. For dangerous humans, they ring once. Besides, your looks obviously suggest that you are not truly a full demon, and yet you are truly not a full human either."  
  
"So, you mean that you can detect demons before you see them?" asked Inuyasha.  
  
"That's right." said Kotori, smiling.  
  
"Wait a minute! You said the bells didn't ring when we came!" said Inuyasha.  
  
"Yes, that is correct." replied Kotori.  
  
"Then how did you know that we were behind you?" asked Inuyasha.  
  
"I heard your footsteps of course. You weren't exactly quiet in your approach." replied Kotori.  
  
"How can I not be a threat to you or your village? You're just a puny human. How could you possibly defeat me?" shouted Inuyasha.  
  
"I am stronger than you think, half-breed. Do not underestimate my power." said Kotori, warningly.  
  
"Where did you get those bells, Kotori?" asked Kagome, desperately trying to change the subject before Inuyasha's rage could surface.  
  
"My mentor, Lady Kaede, gave them to me when she assigned me to this village. She said that they would be useful in my quest to protect it." replied Kotori.  
  
"Wait. You know that old hag?" asked Inuyasha.  
  
"Watch your tongue, half-breed! She is no hag! She is the greatest teacher and priestess I have ever known!" said Kotori, angrily.  
  
Before Inuyasha could reply, Kagome put her hand over his mouth and said, "He's very sorry. He's not very good at handling his emot.." said Kagome.  
  
Kotori cut her off, "I know all about Inuyasha's past and his run-in with the Lady Kikyo and her relation to my mentor, Kaede Please say no more, for I see that it deeply saddens him."  
  
"It doesn't bother me at all!" shouted Inuyasha.  
  
"Believe what you like, half-breed, but you can't convince yourself for very much longer." replied Kotori, calmly. Inuyasha's face turned red with anger and embarrassment.   
  
"We are friends of Kaede's. We've come here in search of shards of the Shikon Jewel." said Kagome.  
  
"I see. And you were wondering if I had any shards." said Kotori.  
  
"Yes, actually. Do you?" asked Kagome, hopefully.  
  
"Yes. I have eight to be exact. What do you want with them?" asked Kotori, suspiciously.  
  
"We're collecting them so we can find Naraku." replied Inuyasha.  
  
"Well, if you want to find him, stay a few days. He comes here once a month to beg me to reconsider his love." said Kotori.  
  
"Well, then we can finally settle the score!" said Inuyasha.  
  
"Oh!" cried Kotori. Miroku had tightened his grip on her hips and began to massage her bottom. Suddenly, something gray flew by Inuyasha's face. It landed on Miroku's stomach and began to scratch him.  
  
Miroku picked the thing up, struggling, by it's tail and looked at it in surprise. The thing stopped struggling and looked at Miroku. It had little blue eyes, gray hair, and a gray tail. It was a little wolf demon.  
  
The little wolf demon growled at Miroku and began to struggle once more, saying, "Put me down this instant! You're hurting my tail!"   
  
"Kita, this isn't the way we treat guests. We must be good hostesses." said Kotori, calmly.  
  
"Feisty little thing, isn't she?" asked Miroku, still holding little Kita by the tail.  
  
"She isn't used to seeing me be groped by a man and not fight back." replied Kotori, coolly.  
  
"Nobody touches Kotori like that and gets away with it!" cried Kita, as she kicked and punched wildly at the air.  
  
"Relax, Kita. These are friends of the Lady Kaede." said Kotori.  
  
"What do they want?" asked Kita as Miroku put her down.  
  
"We're in search of shards of the sacred Shikon Jewel, and to get revenge on Naraku." replied Sango.  
  
"That's all?" asked Kita sarcastically, "You don't intend to give them the jewel shards, do you Kotori?"  
  
"I believe that their intentions are honorable. If they prove as such, then yes, I will give them the shards." said Kotori.  
  
"Who is this little one?" asked Sango.  
  
"My name is Kita," she replied, smiling, "I'm a wolf demon."  
  
"I found her a few years ago in the forest, after one of Naraku's visits. In his rage at my rejection, he killed her parents. I found her trying to steal food from my master's storehouse." said Kotori, "She needed help so I took her in and we have been together ever since."  
  
"Hey! What do you think you're doin' kid!" shouted Inuyasha. They were surprised to find that Kita had crawled across the table to where Inuyasha sat. She stood up, jumped in his lap, and curled up in a ball.  
  
"Oh, well, she's never done that before." said Kotori, surprised. She looked hard at Inuyasha and then said, "I think you remind her of her father. I had the pleasure of seeing him once. You do resemble him, but he was a wolf, and you are not."  
  
Inuyasha began to try and move Kita, but Kotori stopped him. "Please, just let her do it this once."  
  
"Oh, all right!" said Inuyasha, embarrassed.  
  
"Thank you. She misses her father very much." said Kotori, softly.  
  
"So, she's like you, Shippo." said Kagome.  
  
"I guess so. My parents were killed by the Thunder Brothers. I've traveled with these guys ever since." said Shippo as he pointed to the others.  
  
"Interesting tale. I too have had a run-in with the Thunder Brothers. Unfortunately, they fled before I could finish my work." said Kotori.  
  
Sango noticed Miroku's still firm grip on the priestess and reached for her boomerang bone. Miroku, still not having sat up and not noticing Sango's actions, began to, once again, massage Kotori's bottom.  
  
This time, Kotori was prepared. She reached into the sleeves of her robe and pulled out many strips of paper covered in Japanese calligraphy. "Those are containment spells." thought Kagome.  
  
She read each one carefully before she chose one and placed it in the middle of Miroku's forehead. Suddenly, it seemed as if Miroku was frozen in time, yet his hands hand been removed from Kotori's bottom. She stood up, free from Miroku's grasp, and walked out of the room.  
  
The others simply looked from the seemingly frozen Miroku, to one another. Kotori returned two minutes later with a small teapot, several teacups, and a plate of rice cakes. She set these down on the table in front of the others, not noticing Miroku.  
  
Suddenly, Miroku spoke, "Um... can somebody help me? I'm kinda stuck."  
  
Everyone laughed. Kagome stood up, walked over to Miroku, and poked him in the chest.  
  
"Wow, this is really cool! He can't even touch me!" said Kagome as she poked Miroku harder.  
  
"What kind of spells were those and where can I get them?" asked Sango excitedly.  
  
Kotori laughed, "They're containment spells. I made them myself. With a curse like that, I needed some form of extra protection."  
  
"Well, finally, the perverted monk has met his match." said Inuyasha.  
  
"Now, you all must be tired from traveling. If you wish, I can have special rooms made up for you while you take a bath in our hot springs." said Kotori.  
  
"Yeah! That sounds great!" cried Shippo.  
  
"You are too kind, Kotori." said Sango, smiling.  
  
"It is simply common courtesy. You may stay as long as you wish. My master and his students don't get very many visitors. Now, I'll show the women to their bath and I'll have one of the male students show the men to theirs." replied Kotori as she lead the small party out of the hut and into the shrine.  
  
Inside the large shrine, they found many people sitting on the floor studying from scrolls. They were all people under the age of eighteen by the looks of them.  
  
On the floor closest to the back of the shrine sat an old man. He glanced at the newcomers and stood up.  
  
"Welcome to Enoki Shrine. My name is Haruhiko Enoki and I am the master of this shrine. I am also a teacher for willing scholars. How may I help you, weary travelers?" said the old man.  
  
"They claim to be friends of the Lady Kaede, Master. I offered them a place to stay while they wait for the demon, Naraku to arrive." replied Kotori.  
  
"We are also in search of the shards of the sacred Shikon Jewel." said Miroku.  
  
"Ah, I see. Well, you are very much welcome in this village. Shigure, come and show these men to the hot springs and prepare a proper room for them." said Master Enoki. A young man, about Kotori's age with dirty blonde hair that hung just below his ears and clear blue eyes, came over to them and showed the men to the springs.  
  
"And I trust you know what to do, Kotori?" asked Master Enoki.  
  
Kotori bowed and said, "Of course, Master. The women may share my accommodations." 


	2. Naraku's Prize

Sesshomaru, lord of the western lands, stood at the top of a hill overlooking a vast valley. The valley floor was covered in a thick layer of trees and shrubs and in the distance he could see a lake.   
  
"What is it, my lord? Is there something wrong?" asked Jaken as he walked up behind Sesshomaru.  
  
"Leave me Jaken. I must sort some things out."  
  
"My lord, are you planning another attack on your brother, Inuyasha?"  
  
Sesshomaru turned around and pointed his sword at his servant. "Do not mention that half-breed's name in my presence. Now leave!"  
  
"Oh! I'm so sorry my lord! I'm leaving! I'm leaving!" cried Jaken as he turned and ran.  
  
Sesshomaru sighed and returned his sword to it's sheath. As he once again gazed at the valley beneath him, he felt a small hand grasp his own. He looked down and saw Rin smiling at him.  
  
"We should go down to the lake so she can have some water." thought Sesshomaru.  
  
He picked Rin up and cradled her in his only arm. She was pale and she began to cough fitfully. Once he had found Jaken, they made their way to the lake, stopping every once and a while for Rin to get over her coughing fit.  
  
"The human is weak, my lord. Why don't we just leave her here to die?" asked Jaken.  
  
"She stays with us, Jaken. Her human body is frail and weak, so we must find another human to cure her." said Sesshomaru.  
  
"Well, my lord, we are near the village where the sacred sword, Kenakari, is protected. I have heard tales about the priestess who dwells there. She is a known healer. The sword could also be of use to you, my Lord Sesshomaru."   
  
"How far are we from the village?"  
  
"At least a week at our pace, my lord."  
  
Sesshomaru looked down at Rin. She was sleeping, her face turned to his chest. Her breathing was slow and shallow.  
  
"We must reach this village as soon as possible. But we must stop for the night. Rin must rest. Go fetch some water for her."  
  
"Yes my lord." said Jaken, angry that Rin was more important to his lord than he was.  
  
"This is the hot spring specifically for the women. There aren't very many of us, so it's kind of like our own private bath." said Kotori as she showed Kagome and Sango where to put their clothes.  
  
"Yeah. It's really nice not having to worry about crowds." said Kita as she threw her clothes off and jumped into the water.  
  
Sango and Kagome laughed as they were hit by Kita's splash. "So exactly how many women are in this village?" asked Sango as she stepped into the water.  
  
"Well, including Kita and myself, there are five." replied Kotori as she sat on the edge of the pool.  
  
"Only five? Why aren't there more?" asked Kagome as she slipped into the warm water.  
  
"Not very many women are interested in swordsmanship and martial arts. That is what my master teaches. There are about fifty men here ranging from ten to eighteen." replied Kotori.  
  
"Wow. How long have you been here?" asked Sango.  
  
"About five years now. I completed most of my training with Lady Kaede before I came here. My master has taught me a few new things since then, but I have officially mastered the art of swordsmanship and martial arts. I now protect the sacred sword, Kenakari, and have been doing so for the past four years." said Kotori.  
  
"That's quite an accomplishment." replied Sango.  
  
"Yeah, it is." said Kagome as she scrubbed herself. She looked up at Kotori and said, "Aren't you going to come in too?"  
  
"I don't want to intrude." said Kotori.  
  
"You're not intruding. You look like you need to relax for a little while. Please, join us." said Sango.  
  
"Thank you. I'm very much obliged." said Kotori as she removed her clothes and joined the others.  
  
"So, where is the men's bath?" asked Kagome nervously.  
  
"Don't worry, their bath is at the other end of the shrine. They won't be able to sneak over here without someone catching them." replied Kotori.  
  
"That's comforting. I can finally take a bath without having to worry if Miroku is watching me from behind a tree." said Sango.  
  
"Here you are sirs. You can put your clothes over there," said Shigure as he pointed to a small table, "Call if you need anything."  
  
Once Shigure had left, Shippo, Miroku, and Inuyasha undressed and got into the bath.  
  
"So, what do you think of Kotori, Inuyasha?" asked Shippo.  
  
"She's ok. Naraku's curse has had a really big impact on her." said Inuyasha.  
  
"Yes, it seems to affect her everyday life. She has handled it well, I must admit." said Miroku.  
  
"Well, you weren't making it any better! You couldn't stop groping her!" shouted Inuyasha.  
  
"Remember, Inuyasha, you didn't keep your hands to yourself either." said Shippo.  
  
Inuyasha turned bright red and threw a rock at him. Shippo dogged it and swam over to Miroku.  
  
"I like Kotori. She seems really nice." said Shippo.  
  
"What about Kita?" asked Miroku, smirking.  
  
"Well.... I...." stuttered Shippo, his face bright red.  
  
"It looks like the little fox demon has his eyes set on a little wolf demon." said Inuyasha, grinning.  
  
"Shut up!" said Shippo as he sank into the pool until only the top part of his face was showing.  
  
"So Miroku, are you giving up on Sango? Seems like you have a thing for Kotori now." said Inuyasha.  
  
Miroku sighed, "I never was truly interested in Sango in the first place. But I am going to strive for Kotori's affections."  
  
"Then you might want to stop being perverted if you want her to like you. And maybe stop flirting with other women. And stop touching her butt like that. And..." suggested Shippo.  
  
"Ok, I get it!" shouted Miroku, his face bright red.  
  
"Shippo's right, Lord Miroku. If you wish to win the affections of the Lady Kotori, you should try and be civil to her. Treat her like a woman should be treated." said a small voice.  
  
"Well, well. If it isn't Myoga the flea. Where did you come from?" asked Inuyasha as he stared at a rock with a small flea perched on it.  
  
"I followed you in here, Lord Inuyasha." replied Myoga.  
  
"Do you think I could be able to win her heart?" asked Miroku.  
  
"If you try hard enough, I'm sure that you can, Lord Miroku." said Myoga.  
  
Miroku stood up and said, "Then I vow to win the heart of the priestess, Kotori by all means possible and to change my ways!"  
  
Shippo, Myoga, and Inuyasha looked at Miroku strangely and quickly got out of the pool, grabbed their clothes, and ran out of the bath.  
  
"Wait! I'm going to need help! Shippo? Myoga? Inuyasha? Come on guys!" cried Miroku, but they were already out of earshot.  
  
Shigure came back into the bath with towels and was surprised to find Miroku alone. "Where did the other two go?"  
  
Miroku sighed, "I don't know. But can I ask you a question?"  
  
"Of course."  
  
"Would you be able to help me win the Lady Kotori's affections?"  
  
"She forgot to give you the medicine didn't she?"  
  
"No, that's not it. She gave it to me, but I still wish to win her over."  
  
"You wouldn't be the first one." said Shigure darkly.  
  
"What do you mean? Who else has tried?"  
  
"Me, and about half the village."  
  
"Oh, I'm sorry. Please forget that I asked." said Miroku quickly.  
  
"No, I'm sorry. It's just that I've known her for many years and I can't get her out of my mind."  
  
"Sounds like we both have problems forgetting her."  
  
"Yeah. Well, if you want advice, just treat her with respect. It's very hard to get her. Nobody has yet." said Shigure as he walked out of the bath.  
  
"Thank you." said Miroku as he got out of the bath and wrapped a towel around his waist.  
  
Shigure walked down the hall, Miroku trailing behind him, and found Inuyasha and Shippo standing beside a window. "There you two are. Now, let me show you to your room."  
  
They followed Shigure down a long corridor and out into the village. Inuyasha recognized Kotori's hut and they were led to a hut about the same size next to it.  
  
"Well, this is where you can stay. We save this for guests to the village. If you need anything, just ask. I hope you enjoy your stay." said Shigure as he turned and shut the door behind him.  
  
"Thanks." said Inuyasha, bluntly.  
  
"Thank you, Shigure." said Miroku.  
  
"Thanks!" cried Shippo.  
  
Inside there were three beds, two candles, and three windows, one on each wall except for the wall with the door.  
  
"Can we go find Kagome and the others now?" asked Shippo as he tugged at Inuyasha's sleeve.  
  
"Yeah, ok. Let's hurry up and find 'em. I'm getting kinda hungry." said Inuyasha as he stood up and walked out of the room.  
  
Once Inuyasha and Shippo were out of sight, Miroku began muttering to himself, "Ok, I have to treat her with respect, and I can't grope her."  
  
They found Kotori in her hut with Sango, Kagome, and Kita. Food was placed on the table before them and Kotori motioned for them to sit.  
  
They obeyed and began to eat. Miroku took a seat beside Kotori, making sure that he kept his hands to himself. Once they were finished, Kotori spoke.  
  
"So, what do you plan to do when Naraku comes?"  
  
"I plan to kill him." said Inuyasha.  
  
Kotori sighed, "You know that he's stronger than you are, Inuyasha. Besides, he won't attack the village. He wouldn't risk doing harm to me."  
  
"So what? I could beat him! He needs to pay for what he did." said Inuyasha, a low growl began deep in his throat.  
  
"You must save your strength, all of you." replied Kotori.  
  
"Why?" asked Sango.  
  
"Because it could prove useful later." said Kotori.  
  
"We can handle whatever comes at us." said Inuyasha.  
  
"She's right Inuyasha. We should be prepared for anything." said Miroku.  
  
"What does she know? She hasn't had to deal with all the stuff we have!" shouted Inuyasha.  
  
Kotori sighed, "You still don't trust me, do you, Inuyasha?"  
  
"No, of course not!" shouted Inuyasha.  
  
"And why should you? I'm just some priestess that you happened to come across. Utterly useless." said Kotori.  
  
"Yeah." agreed Inuyasha.  
  
"Inuyasha! How can you...." started Kagome.  
  
Kotori quickly raised a hand to silence her. Everyone stared at Kotori, holding their breath.  
  
"Listen." she said softly.  
  
After a few moments of silence, they heard a soft tinkling of bells. Two to be exact. Kotori rose and swiftly ran out of the room. The others hurried behind her.  
  
The sun had just begun to set and everything had a warm glow to it. Kotori ran to a small building that was covered in protective spells and incantations. The shrine. There they found a man on the steps. He looked at them with an evil grin on his face.  
  
"He's only a human! Let me take care of him!" shouted Inuyasha as he unsheathed the Tetsusaiga and lunged at the man.  
  
"Inuyasha no! He's not human! He's a shape shifter!" shouted Kotori, but it was too late. Inuyasha had swung the sword above his head and prepared to bring it down on the demon's head when, suddenly, the sword wasn't there anymore.  
  
It had been thrown about thirty feet from them. He slashed at the shape shifter, injuring him badly. The shape shifter changed into a large wolf and jumped on Inuyasha. He clawed at Inuyasha, leaving deep gashes all over his body. Inuyasha tried to hold him off, but struggled. The shape shifter slashed Inuyasha's face, temporarily blinding him.  
  
"Inuyasha!" screamed Kagome.  
  
Finally, the shape shifter threw Inuyasha's unconscious body aside and proceeded to walk inside the shrine. He was surprised to find Kotori, sword unsheathed, standing in the doorway, blocking his entrance.  
  
He changed into the wolf again and began slashing at Kotori. She dodged them and, in one swift, fluid motion, brought her sword down upon his head, cleaving it in two. Kotori threw the bloody body of the demon aside and ran to Inuyasha.  
  
The others simply stood paralyzed with amazement. Once it sunk in, they ran to Inuyasha and Kotori. Inuyasha's cuts were deep, but not fatal. Kotori helped him up and brought him back to the room he shared with Miroku and Shippo.  
  
Once his wounds were attended to, Kotori spoke, "You shouldn't have been so foolish, Inuyasha."  
  
"Heh, I could have taken him! I just lost concentration." said Inuyasha.  
  
"I'm sure you could have." said Kotori.  
  
"But I must admit, you are very talented. For a human, that is." said Inuyasha, trying to hide his admiration for her talent.  
  
"Well, thank you. I'm glad to receive compliments from you." said Kotori, smiling.  
  
  
  
For the next week, Inuyasha, Miroku, Kagome, Shippo, and Sango spent all their time with Kotori and Kita. During the day, Kotori and Kita showed them around the village and "safe" places in the Demon Forest. These places were mostly where Kotori had made friends with the demons and they had refused to kill her. During the night, Kotori would fight off the occasional demon that threatened the village and talked with Inuyasha and the others into the early hours of the morning.  
  
Shigure often went with Kotori on their outings, refusing to leave her side. The others learned that Kotori and Shigure had been best friends for five years, and that Shigure was very protective of Kotori. Yet, Miroku spent as much time as possible with Kotori and she began to grow fond of him. She enjoyed spending time with the monk, and for some reason she felt attached, and possibly attracted, to him.  
  
Then she began to realize that she noticed Miroku's charm, personality, and good-looks more and more often, and began to make up excuses to just see him. She began to wonder what these feelings were, but she was careful not to share them with anyone, especially Shigure. Miroku's feelings for Kotori were also growing. He couldn't keep his eyes off her and he managed not to touch her in any inappropriate ways, which was a very big step for him.  
  
On the eve of the seventh night after Kotori had finished off a demon, they all sat in her hut talking about what they planned to do after they fought Naraku.  
  
"You could be a useful addition to our group, Kotori." said Inuyasha.  
  
"Yeah, you could, Kotori. Why don't you travel with us? You could help us search for the jewel shards." said Kagome.  
  
"Yes, you should join us." said Sango.  
  
"Oh, well thanks for the offer, but it is my duty to protect the Kenakari. I couldn't just leave my duties and the village unattended." replied Kotori.  
  
"I believe that your time to leave this village has come." said a deep voice from behind them.  
  
Startled, everyone turned around to find Master Enoki, standing by the door.  
  
"What do you mean, master?" asked Kotori.  
  
"You knew that one day you would have to leave this village, and now that day has come. Once Naraku leaves, you should travel with them." he replied.  
  
"But master, what about the Kenakari? Who will guard it?"  
  
"You, of course. You will take it with you." he said.  
  
"But no one can touch the sword. It burns whoever touches it." said Kotori.  
  
"Everyone except you. All of you, come with me to the shrine, and all will be explained." said Haruhiko as he turned and walked out of Kotori's hut.  
  
They all followed him to the shrine where the Kenakari was kept. Master Enoki walked over to the Kenakari and beckoned Kotori to come. She obeyed, but she was careful not to touch the sacred sword.  
  
"Go ahead, Kotori. The sword will not harm you. This sword was forged for you and you alone. For the purest of the pure." said Master Enoki.  
  
"But how could it have been forged for me? It was made centuries ago." said Kotori.  
  
"It was forged by Midoriko centuries ago because a prophecy foretold that a priestess who possessed a entirely pure heart would join a human girl, a monk, a fox, and a half demon and help rid Japan of a powerful evil. Now that Inuyasha and the others have arrived, it is time that you fulfill your destiny. Now pick up the Kenakari. It is your sword now, like it was always meant to be." he replied.  
  
Kotori slowly approached the sword and held out her hand reluctantly. Her fingers brushed the sword's handle. It didn't burn her. She closed her hand around the handle and pulled the sword from its sheath. Still no pain. She inspected the blade. It looked as if it had just been forged.  
  
"Ah, finally my love. You have claimed the Kenakari for your own. Now, kindly give me the sword and become my wife." said a cold voice in the shadows.  
  
"Naraku." said Kotori venomously. She did not even turn around to face him.   
  
The others stood in complete silence. Inuyasha reached for his Tetsusaiga, but Kotori's eyes flicked to Inuyasha's as if to say, "This isn't your fight. You will have your chance another time." Inuyasha, reluctant to obey, slipped the Tetsusaiga back into it's sheath.  
  
"Oh, you say my name with such bitterness. Why is that so, my love?" said Naraku as he emerged from the shadows. His baboon skin, like always, was hiding his face.  
  
"Do not call me that which is not true. I will never love you. Nor am I your love, and never will be." said Kotori, bitterly.  
  
"Oh, I think I can get you to change your mind. What would you do if I were to kill this little wolf cub that you so eagerly adopted?" asked Naraku as he picked up Kita by the tail. She struggled in Naraku's grasp, but he grasped her neck and she stopped moving, for fear of him choking her.  
  
Kotori turned around and looked menacingly at Naraku, "You leave Kita out of this! She's just a child."  
  
Naraku laughed, "I am fully aware that she is a mere child. I have simply come to ask you to be mine, using a little persuasion of course."  
  
"You know my answer perfectly well, Naraku. I have said it enough times. Now put Kita down." said Kotori, threateningly.  
  
"Heh, fine. Have it your way." said Naraku and he threw Kita aside. She collided with the wall with a sickening thud. Kotori ran to Kita and cradled her in her arms.  
  
"Are you ok, Kita?" asked Kotori softly.  
  
"I'm fine. I just need to lie down. My head hurts." replied Kita, weakly.  
  
Kotori nodded and placed Kita in Sango's arms. She turned again to look at Naraku with hate in her eyes.  
  
He laughed, "You know I would never do anything to cause you pain, Kotori. I am resisting the urge to kill everyone in this village, including your new allies, Inuyasha and his pathetic little group. That is the depth of my love. I would do anything to keep you happy."  
  
"Did you think that killing my parents or hurting my friends and the villagers would make me happy? It just makes me loathe you even more!" said Kotori, clenching her fists.  
  
Kagome noticed that Kotori's eyes glistened with unshed tears. "She's trying as hard as she can to keep herself from crying." she thought.  
  
"Hm, since you are so unwilling to accept my love, I might just have to take what I want from you." said Naraku, as he moved closer and closer to Kotori, until he stood right in front of her. His face barely inches from her own.  
  
Kotori laughed coldly, "You know you couldn't. You just said that you could never do anything to cause me pain."  
  
"Yes, but people can do extraordinary things when they are motivated. I think I could get used to your screams of pain in the night as you lie, struggling, beneath me. On the contrary, it could make the act itself all the more pleasurable." said Naraku as he ran his fingers along her jaw line. He leaned his head towards hers and kissed her.  
  
Inuyasha had to hold Miroku back because he had started to walk over to Naraku. Hatred burned in the monk's eyes as he struggled to free himself from Inuyasha's grasp, but Inuyasha held him back firmly and all the monk could do was watch helplessly.  
  
Kotori tore herself from Naraku's grasp and wiped her mouth on the sleeve of her robes. "I will never allow you the satisfaction of hearing me scream. I would die before you touched me in such a way! Now leave this village at once, Naraku or..."  
  
"Or what? You'll kill me? Or will you have those weaklings you call friends come after me?" asked Naraku, pointing to Inuyasha and the others.  
  
"Leave now, Naraku." said Kotori, her eyes filled with hatred.  
  
Naraku chuckled. "Fine, I'll leave. But just remember my offer, and everything you have to lose if you say no." As Naraku spoke, he walked over to Miroku, who was still being held back by Inuyasha, and ran his fingers along Miroku's jaw line. "You wouldn't want to lose a loved one now, would you?"  
  
Kotori clenched her fists, fingernails digging into her skin. They dug so deep that they drew blood and it trickled from her palms and fell in droplets to the floor. Naraku took one last look at Kotori and disappeared.  
  
Inuyasha released Miroku from his grasp and he ran to Kotori just as her knees gave out from under her and the Kenakari fell with a clang to the ground. Miroku cradled Kotori in his arms. She seemed to be lost in deep thought.  
  
After a long pause, Kotori said, "I will go with you to find the remaining jewel shards and to get revenge on Naraku. We must leave as soon as possible, before he realizes I'm gone."  
  
"Great," said Inuyasha, "we could really use your help." The others nodded in agreement.  
  
Later that night, when Sango, Kagome, and Kita were asleep, Kotori sat on her bed and looked out the window at the many stars. Suddenly she heard a noise and saw the silhouette of a young man in the doorway.  
  
"Kotori, I need to talk to you." said a voice she recognized as Shigure's.  
  
"Come on in, but be quiet. They're all asleep."  
  
He carefully walked around the sleeping girls and sat on the bed next to Kotori. "Is it true that you're going with Inuyasha and the others tomorrow?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Then I want to come with you." said Shigure.  
  
Kotori looked at him in surprise and said, "You should stay here and protect the master. He's getting old and needs to be cared for. I can take care of myself."  
  
"But.... I..... I love you Kotori! I've loved you since the moment I saw you. Even after you gave me the antidote, I couldn't stop thinking about you! I just can't leave you."  
  
Kotori said nothing. Shigure turned her head so she faced him. "I love you with all my heart." He kissed her lips gently. He lifted his head again and said, "Say you love me."  
  
She looked at him, her eyes glistening with tears. "You are my dearest friend in all the world, Shigure, but I cannot say that I love you with all of my heart when part of my heart belongs another."  
  
Shigure's heart sank, "Who?"  
  
She hesitated for a minute, but she spoke one name, "Miroku."  
  
Shigure looked at her and sighed, "I should have known you would never love me. I could never compare to Miroku. I was stupid to think you could ever fall in love with someone like me."  
  
"No you weren't. I do love you. You are my dearest friend, and if I had never fallen in love with Miroku, I would gladly be yours. If Miroku does not share my feelings, then I promise that I'll come to you."  
  
After a few moments of silence, Shigure spoke, "I still want to come with you, no matter if you love me or not."  
  
Kotori smiled, "Then you can."  
  
Shigure stood up and kissed the top of her head. "Good night."  
  
"Good night." she said as he left the room. Kotori decided that she needed sleep, so she got under the covers, yet she failed to notice that Kita's, Kagome's, and Sango's eyes had been open the entire time. She also failed to notice the soft sigh of relief that came from outside her door and the soft patter of sandaled feet on the gravel as someone made their way back to Inuyasha and Shippo. 


	3. A New a Romance Blooms

Then next morning, Sango was no where to be found. They looked all around the village, with the exception of Master Enoki's quarters. She turned up during lunch that afternoon. Kotori told the others about Shigure wanting to join them on their quest and the others were happy to include him.   
  
When Sango decided to speak, she had some surprising news, "I have spoken with Master Enoki and have decided to stay and become one of his pupils."  
  
"So you have decided to further your martial arts education?" asked Kotori as she took a sip of her tea.  
  
"Yes. I hoped that I could become an even greater warrior." said Sango.  
  
The others just looked at Sango, mouths hanging open. Inuyasha was the first to recover, "What about your revenge on Naraku? Are you giving up that easily?"  
  
"I'm not giving up," Sango replied, "But I could have a better chance of defeating Naraku in battle if I have more training. It could help with my demon exterminating too."  
  
"That's true. Well, if that's what you want, then I support you all the way, Sango." said Kagome.  
  
"As do I." said Miroku.  
  
Shippo piped up, "It sounds like a great idea, Sango."  
  
Sango looked at Inuyasha, waiting for his answer. "Feh, do what you want. It's no skin off my nose."  
  
"I'm glad that you all approve. Especially you Inuyasha. So, what time were you all planning to set out again on your journey?" asked Sango.  
  
"In about an hour. We're hoping to find another village before dark." said Miroku.  
  
Kotori stood up and quietly left the room. "Where's she going?" asked Inuyasha.  
  
"To join Shigure in saying good bye to their master." said Miroku quietly.  
  
"And how do you know that?" shouted Inuyasha.  
  
"She told me herself when I went to her room this morning."  
  
"And what, precisely, were you doing in her room this morning?" asked Kagome, suspiciously.  
  
"Well, I.... I heard her talking last night with Shigure and...." stuttered Miroku.  
  
"So you heard that too, huh?" interrupted Kagome.  
  
"Heard what?" asked Inuyasha.  
  
There was a pause, then Kagome spoke, "Shigure came to Kotori's room late last night. He confessed his love to her and told her that he wanted to travel with us. He was heartbroken when she told him that she loved someone else, but he still wanted to come with us."  
  
"It seems that Kotori's love runs deep with Shigure, but even deeper with a certain monk, even though she can't show him," said Sango. Her eyes quickly flicked towards Miroku, "And I believe that certain monk returns those feelings. Am I right, Miroku?"  
  
Miroku was silent for a few moments, then he spoke, "I love her more than anyone could ever imagine."  
  
"But she can't show that she loves anyone because it would give Naraku power over her. He could destroy everything she loves and then she would be weak enough for him to simply take her." said Inuyasha.  
  
"So that's why Shigure said that no one has been able to win her love. She can't show it or Naraku would destroy them." said Miroku.  
  
"Yes, exactly." said Sango.  
  
After a long pause, Kagome stood up, "We should get packed. Kotori and Shigure should be done with their good byes soon."  
  
They all stood outside the entrance to the village. Everyone had come out to see them off. Unlike Kagome with her large backpack and her bicycle, Shigure carried only a sword at his side. Kotori had the Kenakari strapped to her waist and a small satchel slung over her shoulder.  
  
Sango walked over to Kotori and embraced her, "I wish you a safe journey, my friend. May the Gods smile upon you and grant you safety and happiness. I will return to you when my training is complete. If you need me, do not hesitate to summon me."  
  
Once Sango had released her, she smiled, "You will be greatly missed, my dear friend. Yet I, too, wish you luck on the journey you yourself are about to embark on. It is a long road, but I know that you have the courage to walk that path. If you require my services, I too will not hesitate to help." Sango smiled and went to say her good byes to the others.  
  
They reached the nearest village an hour before nightfall. This time, Miroku had no need to use his charm, for the villagers were happy to give shelter to the Lady Kotori and her companions.  
  
While Inuyasha, Miroku, and Shigure sat in the tavern, trying to get any information on the Shikon Jewel, Kagome, Kotori, Kita, and Shippo had decided to walk around the village.  
  
An old man brought Inuyasha, Miroku, and Shigure their drinks and they were surprised when he began to talk to them.  
  
"So, you three are traveling with the Lady Kotori?"  
  
"Yeah. And how do you know about Kotori?" asked Inuyasha.  
  
"Oh, every villager for at least thirty miles knows about the Lady Kotori. She's known as 'the second Kikyo' but everyone knows that her powers are far greater than the Lady Kikyo ever possessed. A greater priestess than the Lady Kikyo ever was." said the old man.  
  
Inuyasha stood up and began to shout at the man, "What do you mean she's greater than Kikyo ever was? Kikyo was the greatest priestess ever! There is absolutely no way in any of the Seven Hells that Kotori could be better than Kikyo!"  
  
"Kikyo let her heart be tainted with malice and hatred, and that's one of the reasons that she lost control over the Shikon Jewel. Nothing good can come out of that jewel and Kikyo is proof of that. It could even lead a great priestess like Kikyo to her downfall. Unlike Kikyo, Kotori is the prophesied 'Purest of the Pure'. Her heart is capable of hate, but she is able to control it before it takes over and utterly destroys her." said Shigure, softly.  
  
Miroku and Inuyasha stared at Shigure in surprise. Then Inuyasha stood up and shouted at Shigure, "So you're saying that Kikyo wasn't 'pure'?"  
  
"No, I'm not saying that at all, Inuyasha. What I am saying is that Kikyo's heart was pure, but she was unable to control her hatred for you and as long as her heart was tainted with hatred, so was the jewel. She wouldn't have been able to protect the jewel if her heart hadn't started out pure." said Shigure.  
  
Inuyasha's anger left him and he sat down once more. "So she really is greater than Kikyo?"  
  
"Yes, she is. Yet she does not admit such things, because she always admired Kikyo's strength and did not want to believe that Kikyo could be so easily possessed by hatred. That is one of the reasons the Lady Kaede took Kotori in and trained her to become a priestess. She knew that Kotori would be greater than Kikyo and she knew about the prophecy." said Shigure.  
  
"I see that I'm the talk of the town once again." said a voice from behind them.  
  
They all turned around and where surprised to see Kotori and the others standing in the doorway.  
  
"Kotori... I..." stuttered Shigure.  
  
But Kotori cut him off, "Do you think I like being talked about behind my back? Do you think I like being called 'the second Kikyo'? Do you think I like having men kill themselves over me? Well, for your information, I don't! I hate being named after Kikyo when in the end she was nothing but a weak priestess who was easily corrupted by malice! I hate walking through the streets and hear people whisper behind their hands about me! And I hate it when men look at me as if I'm some kind of prize that can be won!"  
  
"I... I'm sorry." said Inuyasha softly.  
  
"As am I." said Shigure.  
  
Miroku stood up and walked over to Kotori. He reached out for her hand but she quickly pulled it away and began to walk out of the tavern.   
  
"Kotori! Wait!" shouted Miroku. He grabbed her hand and turned her around to face him. Tears were streaming down her face. She tore herself away from Miroku's grasp and ran out of sight.  
  
Miroku just stood in the doorway of the tavern for a few minutes, staring blankly at the street.   
  
"She's probably training. It would be best just to leave her alone right now." said Kita softly.  
  
"No, I'm going to look for her. I need to talk to her." said Miroku as he ran out of the tavern in the direction Kotori went.  
  
After a few minutes of silence, Kagome spoke, "He really does love her, doesn't he?"  
  
"Yeah, he does. For once it's not one of his lies. He really does love her. They've only known each other for about a week, but they seem as though they've known each other longer than that." said Inuyasha.  
  
Shigure slammed his glass down on the table and stormed out of the tavern.  
  
"It looks like Miroku isn't the only one who's still in love with Kotori." said Shippo.  
  
Kagome nodded, then said, "Why don't we wait for them back in our room?"  
  
"That sound like a good idea." said Inuyasha as he, Shippo, Kita, and Kagome walked out of the tavern.  
  
Miroku ran through the forest, frantically searching for any signs of Kotori. He found her sitting beside a small pond, her head in her hands, and crying softly.  
  
Miroku slowly approached her, trying his hardest not to make any noise. When he finally stood beside her, he put his hand on her shoulder. She quickly looked up to see who had intruded on her solitude. Her eyes softened when she saw Miroku, but she quickly turned away and said, "Why did you follow me, Miroku?"  
  
Miroku went around and sat so he faced her. "I wanted to make sure that you were all right."  
  
"Well, I'm fine. Now you have something to report back to Inuyasha and the others!" said Kotori bitterly.  
  
"No you're not fine. You're crying."  
  
"Just leave, Miroku."  
  
"No, I can't leave."  
  
"Why? Because Inuyasha and the others told you not to?"  
  
"No, that's not it at all!" said Miroku.  
  
"Then why are you still here?"  
  
When Miroku didn't answer, Kotori stood up and began to walk deeper into the forest.  
  
"Because I'm in love with you, Kotori!" shouted Miroku.  
  
Kotori stopped in her tracks. Without even bothering to turn around, she said, "You don't know what you're saying."  
  
When she began to walk into the forest again, Miroku ran after her, grabbed her hand, and turned her around to face him.  
  
"I know exactly what I'm saying, and I know that it's the truth." said Miroku. He looked deeply into Kotori's eyes and said, "I love you, Kotori. I love you with all of my heart and all of my soul. I want to marry you, have children with you, grow old with you, and die with you. I don't ever want us to part for it would tear me in half. That's what I want to do with my life, Kotori. I want to spend the rest of it with you."  
  
Kotori was stunned, yet somehow, she managed to stutter out a reply, "I.... I love you too, Miroku."  
  
Miroku smiled and leaned forward. He brushed the hair from her eyes and saw that she wasn't crying anymore, but smiling. He kissed her softly at first, just lightly brushing his lips with hers. Once Kotori had kissed him back, he deepened the kiss and wrapped his arms around her waist. She let her arms coil around his neck and let her fingers intertwine in his hair. His tongue begged for entrance to her mouth, and once it was granted, he tasted the essence of her mouth, probing and prodding her tongue with his. He was surprised when her tongue entered his mouth and began doing her own exploring. He nibbled on her bottom lip, wanting to savor the kiss.  
  
When he finally broke the kiss off, he looked to see her reaction. She simply smiled at him and said, "You're a very good kisser."  
  
Miroku laughed, "Thanks. You're not bad yourself."  
  
When he leaned in again, she stopped him, saying, "Inuyasha and the others are probably worried about us. We should get back to the village."  
  
Miroku nodded, but did not let go. "Before we go back, please just tell me one thing."  
  
"Ok, what?"  
  
"Can I call you mine? Claim you as my own?"  
  
Kotori looked at him with a somber expression on her face, "Of course. As long as I may do the same in return."  
  
Miroku smiled, "Then it's a deal." 


	4. The Mysterious Kotori

Sesshomaru entered Kotori's village just as the sun sank behind the horizon. The humans screamed as he passed them, fear was plastered on their faces.  
  
"Pathetic humans. If I wanted to kill them, I would have already done so." he thought as he held Rin a little tighter in his arm.  
  
He walked right into the main shrine and found an old man sitting at the back, meditating.  
  
He looked up at Sesshomaru and said, "What business have you here, demon? The Kenakari is no longer here! It is with it's rightful owner!"  
  
Sesshomaru laughed deep in his throat, "I have not come to harm you or the villagers, but if I am provoked, I can promise you nothing."  
  
"Then what are you here for?" asked Master Enoki.  
  
"I wish to speak with the priestess, Kotori. I have heard that she is a great healer. I need her to heal this little girl." He lifted his arm a little so Master Enoki could see Rin.  
  
"Give her to me. I might be able to help." said Master Enoki.  
  
"My Lord! We must be cautious of these tricky humans!" squeaked Jaken.  
  
"Silence, you insolent toad." said Sesshomaru, calmly.  
  
"Y...yes my Lord." said Jaken as he sank into the shadows.  
  
Sesshomaru handed Rin to Master Enoki and watched carefully as he examined Rin.  
  
After a few moments, Master Enoki shook his head, "I cannot heal her. She is very weak, but can be saved. You must get her to Kotori, and quickly. I am not sure how much longer this little one has."  
  
"Where can I find Kotori?" asked Sesshomaru as he took Rin back from the master.  
  
"She left early this afternoon, bound for the next village. It is about a day's walk from here. If you hurry, you can catch up with her."  
  
Suddenly, Sango burst through a door at the back of the shrine, her boomerang bone ready.  
  
"Master! Stay back! Let me handle this!" shouted Sango.  
  
Sesshomaru chuckled, "Aren't you one of my half-breed brother's companions? I can't smell them here. Why aren't you with them?"  
  
"I chose to stay behind! And if you even try to hurt anyone, I'll kill you Sesshomaru!" shouted Sango.  
  
"Well, I have no business with you humans. Come Jaken." said Sesshomaru.  
  
"Yes milord!" said Jaken as he scurried over to his master and they walked out of the shrine.  
  
Sango began to run after them, but Master Enoki stopped her.  
  
"He will not harm the villagers. He was simply looking for someone to cure the girl."  
  
"Then where is he going, Master?" asked Sango.  
  
"To find Kotori."  
  
Inuyasha, Kagome, Kita, and Shippo were preparing to eat dinner when Kotori and Miroku walked into the room.  
  
Kagome looked up and, trying not to seem anxious, said, "How are you feeling, Kotori?"  
  
"Much better thanks to Miroku. I'm sorry I overreacted like that." she replied, blushing.  
  
"Don't be. You've had it tough and no one should treat you like that." said Inuyasha.  
  
"Thanks, Inuyasha. Thanks all of you." said Kotori, smiling.  
  
"No problem. Now, come sit down and eat! You must be hungry." said Kagome as she held out a bowl of rice to Kotori.  
  
Kotori and Miroku took their places at the table and began to eat. It wasn't till they were halfway through their meal that Kotori piped up. "Where's Shigure?"  
  
Inuyasha, Kagome, Kita, and Shippo just looked at one another before Inuyasha spoke, "He stormed out of the tavern not long after Miroku went to find you. We're not sure where he went."  
  
Kotori quickly stood up and headed for the door. Miroku caught her hand before she disappeared, "Where are you going?"  
  
"Something's not right. I sense something evil in this village and what if it found Shigure first? I have to go find him." And with that, she disappeared from the doorway, the soft tinkling of her enchanted bells followed her. Miroku thought for a moment, and ran after her.  
  
Suddenly, Inuyasha stood up. "What's wrong, Inuyasha?" asked Kagome.  
  
"I smell a demon nearby. We should go with Kotori just in case Shigure is hurt." said Inuyasha.   
  
As Kotori ran through the forest, her bells rang louder and louder. She shouted Shigure's name, hoping he would answer. Instead of Shigure's voice answering, she heard a loud roar, followed by a scream.  
  
"Shigure!" she shouted.   
  
She entered a large clearing amidst the trees and was shocked to discover a huge, monstrous creature. It was at least fifteen feet tall and had a sickly green tinge to it's skin. It's arms and legs were as big around as tree trunks and it's small head that was perched atop it's shoulders turned to look at whatever had created the noise. Dangling from one of it's massive hands was an unconscious Shigure.  
  
His sword had fallen to the ground, leaving him defenseless. Inuyasha and the others ran up behind her, and Kagome gasped.  
  
"It's a corrupt forest spirit. The power of the Shikon shard in his left arm made him grow, not only in size, but in hatred as well." said Kotori.  
  
"She can sense the Shikon shards too? I thought I was the only one who could do that." thought Kagome.  
  
Kotori unsheathed her sword and turned to Inuyasha. "Inuyasha, I'll distract the demon while you rescue Shigure."  
  
"Right." said Inuyasha as he bounded off, the transformed Tetsusaiga in his hands.  
  
Kotori ran at the creature, sword pointed at it, and jumped up. She slashed it's head and it began gushing a green, sticky fluid. The creature roared in pain and dropped Shigure. Inuyasha quickly ran to him and carried him to the safety of the trees where the others were hiding.  
  
The demon swung at Kotori, but missed as she quickly dogged the blows. The green fluid ran into the creature's eyes, blinding it, but it was still determined to kill Kotori.   
  
In what seemed like one movement, she swung her sword and the creature's head and left arm fell to the ground. Green fluid gushed from the open wounds, as the rest of it's body fell to the ground. Kotori quickly dug out the Shikon shard from it's arm and hurried over to the others.  
  
"Is Shigure all right?" she asked.  
  
"He'll be fine. He's just knocked out." said Inuyasha.  
  
The blood that covered Kotori's hands began to eat away at her skin and she winced at the sudden intense pain. Ignoring it, she handed the clean Shikon shard to Kagome.  
  
"It's already purified." said Kagome as she closed her hand around the shard.  
  
"How could it be? Only you have the power to purify the shards, Kagome." said Miroku.  
  
"But Kotori was able to see the shard in the demon's arm. She's the only one that touched the shard before me." said Kagome as she put the newest shard with the other ones they had collected.  
  
They all turned to Kotori, but she shook off their looks and said, "Let's get Shigure back to the village."  
  
She wiped the Kenakari on the grass and returned it to it's sheath. The places where the blood touched her skin burned worse than ever.  
  
"I have to wash this stuff off quickly before it eats all my skin away." thought Kotori.  
  
"I'm going to wash this blood off. I'll be right back." said Kotori.  
  
The others nodded and walked off. Once they were out of earshot, Kotori swiftly ran to the pond she had found after she had run from the tavern. 


	5. A Night Under the Stars

WARNING!!!!!! This chapter contains LEMON CONTENT!!!! All children please LEAVE!!! This is your last warning!!!!  
  
Thanks! Hope you like it!  
  
~Ryuoko-Kitsune~  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
They water looked cool and inviting. She quickly removed her clothes and slipped into the crystal waters of the pool. It was surprisingly deep and it came up at least three inches below her shoulders. As soon as her injured hands entered the water, the pain subsided.  
  
She took her hands out of the water and inspected the damage that had been done. There were very bad burns on her hands.  
  
"Well, that's going to leave a scar," said Kotori, laughing to herself, "I'll have to put some medicine on these when I get back."  
  
She slipped deeper into the water and closed her eyes, her amber colored hair floated gracefully around her.  
  
"This is so relaxing. I haven't been able to do this for a long time. Now, what would make this even more perfect is if a certain monk was here...." thought Kotori. She smiled to herself. Thinking about Miroku made her blush. "How can I think of doing such a thing with him? I'm a priestess and I shouldn't be thinking such things. Even though I'd love to see him naked... No! I mustn't think about that!"  
  
Suddenly, she heard a rustling, then small a splash, then a pair of lips met hers and a pair of arms wrapped themselves around her bare waist. She quickly opened her eyes to discover that Miroku was holding her in his arms. He ended the kiss and smiled.  
  
"What are you doing in here, Miroku?" asked Kotori, looking around her to see if anyone was watching.  
  
"You said you'd love to see me naked, and here I am." replied Miroku, grinning.  
  
"Oh no! I must have said that last thought out loud!" thought Kotori.  
  
"Besides," he continued, "I love you, Kotori. Did you really want me to pass up this opportunity to be alone with you?"  
  
She smiled, "No, I guess not."  
  
He kissed her again, his hands ran up and down her back and lightly caressed her slender hips. She placed her hands on his chest and she could feel the muscles ripple beneath his creamy skin. She could feel his heart beating fast in his chest, and she realized that her own heart matched his in tempo.  
  
"Should I stop this before it goes any farther?" thought Kotori to herself.  
  
She felt his hand move to caress her stomach, then to her right breast. She moaned into his mouth and he smiled.  
  
"Oh Gods! This is torture! Why must you do this to me now, Miroku? If Shigure finds out he'll be furious," she thought, "Wait, why am I worrying about what Shigure wants? It's what I want that matters, and right now what I want is Miroku."  
  
His fingers played with her nipple, making it hard. She wanted him just as bad as he wanted her. The timing was perfect. He nibbled on her neck and listened to her moan.  
  
"Kotori, no matter what anyone says or thinks, I truly do love you." thought Miroku.  
  
His curious hand went lower to caress her inner thigh and then to her sacred womanhood. The place she had tired to protect for so many years.  
  
"Miroku my love, I'm giving you something that I have not willingly given to any other man." thought Kotori, but her thoughts were lost in another wave of pleasure.  
  
"All the Gods in the heavens I beg you! Let me do this right! I love her more than life itself. She is my only love." prayed Miroku.  
  
His fingers stroked the outer lips of her womanhood, making her shudder with pleasure. Then, his fingers entered her warm, moist depths. She cried out in pleasure as his fingers began to pump in and out of her. He put them in as far as they could go and she screamed in ecstasy as each sensitive nerve was triggered.  
  
Suddenly, he felt a hand stroke his hard and erect member. Then, every thought he had was lost in a wave of extreme pleasure. He closed his eyes and enjoyed the movements of her hands on his manhood. He was rapidly approaching his climax, so he quickly stopped her.  
  
"Did I do something wrong, Miroku?" asked Kotori, looking hurt.  
  
"Oh no, everything you did was wonderful. If we're going to finish this though, we should probably get out of the water." said Miroku, grinning.  
  
She smiled and lifted herself onto the bank on the pond. He looked at her naked body, taking in every little detail. The way a few strands of wet hair clung to her shoulders, her shining, deep, blue eyes that stared at him with pure love, the mass of amber curls that protected the entrance to her womanhood, the center of all her unspoken pleasure. His manhood throbbed impatiently. He wanted her there and now.  
  
Once his eyes had their fill of her, he slipped onto the bank of the pond and kissed her passionately. His tongue probed hers, tasting the familiar flavor of her mouth. He wrapped his arms around her and lowered her to the ground. She could feel his hot, hard member rub against her inner thigh and she moaned. Then she opened her legs wider to accept him.  
  
He broke off the kiss and whispered in her ear, "This will hurt, but the pain will pass, my love."  
  
She nodded and kissed him hard, wanting him so bad. He positioned himself outside the entrance to her womanhood and swiftly thrust into her. She let out a small cry and tears began to stream down her face.  
  
He kissed her again, wiping the tears away, "The pain only lasts for a little while, my love." She nodded.  
  
He had noticed when he thrust into her that her barrier wasn't all there. "She must have been raped before, but he didn't push all the way through. How painful that must have been. I'll try to give her as much pleasure as I can to make up for when she lost her virginity." thought Miroku.  
  
He waited a few moments for her to adjust to his size, then he began to thrust in and out of her slick womanhood. He groaned as her inner walls contracted around him.  
  
"Harder!" cried Kotori. Obeying her command, he began to thrust faster and harder into her, moaning loudly.  
  
As his climax approached, he thrust as fast and as hard as he could into her. Then, in a split second, he lost control and spilled his hot seed into her womb.  
  
"Kotori!" he shouted as he rode the waves of pure ecstasy that were coursing through his body.  
  
"Miroku!" Kotori cried out as she, too, climaxed.  
  
He collapsed on top of her, both breathing heavily. Beads of sweat formed on their bodies and slowly fell to the green grass below them. He laid his head on her chest, trying to catch his breath.  
  
When he did, he said, "Kotori, I love you more than life itself. I would die for you a thousand times over if it meant your happiness."  
  
She stroked his head with one hand, "I love you too, Miroku. I would do anything for you."  
  
He sat up and looked deeply into her ocean blue eyes. "When all this business with Naraku is over, will you become my wife?"  
  
She looked at him in surprise at first, but then she smiled, "Of course, my love. Anything for you."  
  
He smiled and kissed her passionately, then they fell asleep, exhausted from their activities. They woke up an hour later, and decided that it was time to get back to the village. They quickly washed themselves in the pond and hurried in the direction of the village. The stars glittered on the surface of the pond and a small pool of blood marked where their union had taken place. 


	6. The Scent of Love

Inuyasha sat in a corner of the room as Kagome watched over Shigure. Shippo and Kita were asleep in another corner of the room. The moon's light shone down on them through the window, casting a silver shadow on Kagome. Inuyasha stared at her.  
  
"Gods she's beautiful. What I wouldn't give to be able to tell her how I feel, like Miroku could with Kotori. To be able to announce to the world my feelings for Kagome. Wait, what am I thinking? Kagome could never love me. Not after all the things I've done to her.  
  
"She'll think the only reason I'm with her is because she looks like Kikyo. That'll never go over smoothly. Maybe I should talk to Kotori. Maybe she can help me tell Kagome how I feel about her. I'll ask her when she gets back." Thought Inuyasha.  
  
Kagome wiped Shigure's forehead with a cool, damp cloth and noticed Inuyasha staring at her.  
  
"Is something wrong, Inuyasha?" asked Kagome.  
  
"Why would anything be wrong?" snapped Inuyasha.  
  
"Well, you're staring at me and it's really beginning to scare me. Could you just stop it?"  
  
"I'm not staring at you, I'm thinking. Why does everything have to be about you, Kagome?"  
  
"Everything's not about me, Inuyasha! I just asked a simple question!" shouted Kagome, "And what were you thinking about that made you stare off into space in my direction?"  
  
"It's not like it's any of your business, but I was wondering where Miroku and Kotori are. They should be back by now."  
  
Kagome thought for a minute, "Yeah, you're right. Didn't Miroku say that he was going to find Kotori and keep her safe?"  
  
"That's what he said, but I doubt that was what that perverted monk was planing on doing."  
  
"You wouldn't be talking about me now would you?" asked Miroku as he walked through the doorway, holding Kotori's hand.  
  
"Who else would we be talking about you pervert!" said Inuyasha.  
  
"Kagome, how's Shigure doing?" asked Kotori as she let go of Miroku's hand and knelt beside her friend.  
  
"He's sleeping. He should be fine in the morning." said Kagome as she wiped his forehead again.  
  
Kotori took one of Shigure's hands in hers and smiled, "I'm glad that he's okay."  
  
Kagome noticed the burn marks on Kotori's hands, "What happened to your hands?"  
  
"Oh, it's nothing." said Kotori as she hid her hands in the folds of her priestess robes.  
  
Kagome quickly grabbed one hand and examined it. "It looks like you stuck your hands in a bon fire or something."  
  
"No, the blood from that forest spirit must have been poisonous. It burned my skin so I had to quickly wash it off. I have some herbs in my bag that will heal them. It's not that big of a deal." replied Kotori.  
  
"Okay, if you're sure." said Kagome looking worried.  
  
"I'm positive," said Kotori, smiling, "Well, it's getting late and I'm really tired. I think Shigure will be fine on his own, so we all should get some sleep. Besides, you look like you could use a good night's rest, Kagome."  
  
"Yeah I could. Well, goodnight." said Kagome as she slipped into her sleeping bag beside Shippo and Kita.  
  
Kotori laid next to where Inuyasha was sitting and Miroku laid beside her. In no time at all, they were all fast asleep. Inuyasha had kept himself awake and took the first watch, though there was no need.  
  
Suddenly, a scent entered his nose. It came from the sleeping body of Kotori that lay beside him. Though faint, the scent was unmistakable. She had been mated, and he caught the other scent of her mate. Miroku.  
  
"So he took her virginity." thought Inuyasha. 


	7. Kotori's Plan

Kagome was walking though a dense forest. Beside her was Inuyasha. She turned to him and said, "Can I tell you something, Inuyasha?"  
  
"Sure."  
  
"Well, I've liked you for a long time.... and I know now that I.... I love you."  
  
Inuyasha sighed and said, "I'm sorry Kagome, but I can't return those feelings."  
  
Kagome looked hurt, "Why not?"  
  
"I love someone else."  
  
Kagome was silent for a few minutes, then she said, "It's Kikyo, isn't it?"  
  
"Yeah. I love her, Kagome. I want to be with her."  
  
"But what about me, Inuyasha?"  
  
"I'm sure you'll find someone else." said Inuyasha as he walked farther into the forest.  
  
"Inuyasha, wait! Wait, please! I love you Inuyasha!" said Kagome as she ran after him.  
  
Despite her pleas, he didn't turn around. Soon, he disappeared amongst the thick mass of trees.  
  
"Please wait, Inuyasha! I love you!" cried Kagome. Tears streamed down her face as she continued to run in the direction Inuyasha had disappeared.  
  
  
  
Kagome was shaken into consciousness. When she opened her eyes, she saw Kotori's face above her. She sat up and realized where she was.  
  
"Are you ok, Kagome? You were tossing and turning in your sleep. Then you started calling out for Inuyasha and crying." said Kotori as she handed Kagome a cup of water.  
  
"It was a nightmare, that's all," she looked around the room and noticed that Inuyasha and Miroku were gone, and Shippo, Kita, and Shigure were still asleep, "Where did Inuyasha and Miroku go? They didn't hear me did they?"  
  
"No. They left about a half an hour ago. Inuyasha said that he and MIroku needed to talk."  
  
"Oh, good."  
  
After a few moments of silence, Kotori spoke, "Is it safe for me to assume that you have feelings for Inuyasha?"  
  
Kagome turned bright red.  
  
"Ah, I see. Well, why don't you tell him how you feel?"  
  
"Well, you know how he is. He's not the easiest person in the world to talk to."  
  
Kotori thought for a moment, then said, "How would you like me to help you tell him? Or better yet, what if I could find out if he feels the same way?"  
  
Kagome looked at her in surprise, but said, "You would really do something like that for me?"  
  
"Of course. We're friends aren't we?" said Kotori, smiling.  
  
"Yeah, we are friends. So how were you planning to pull this off?"  
  
"Ok, well here's the plan...."  
  
Inuyasha and Miroku walked deep into the forest. They had been silent for quite some time. Finally, Miroku spoke up. "Um... what did you want to talk to me about, Inuyasha?"  
  
"Where were you last night?"  
  
"I told you that I went to find Kotori, and that's what I did."  
  
"Well, it sure took you long enough. I think you did more than you're telling us."  
  
"Even if I did do more than I said, it wouldn't be any of your business, now would it?"  
  
"You're just going to end up hurting her, Miroku. You could never stay with just one woman."  
  
"You think you know me so well? Well, for your information, I happen to love Kotori. Last night I even asked her to marry me after we defeat Naraku. I plan to stay true to my word, no matter what you think." said Miroku angrily.  
  
"Take it easy, Miroku. It's just that I really care for her. She's a wonderful person and a great friend. She saved me from dying when that demon came to her village and I almost got myself killed. She took care of me afterwards. Now I'm entirely in her debt. If you ever hurt her, I'm coming after you."  
  
"I would never hurt her. I would die before I let anything unhappy befall on her. I love her."  
  
After a few moments of silence, Miroku spoke again, "How did you know that I did something with Kotori?"  
  
Inuyasha pointed to his nose, "Her scent was different. It was the scent of a mated woman, and not only could I smell her, but I could smell her mate as well. You."  
  
Miroku blushed, "Well, it's true then. We made love last night."  
  
"What if you got her pregnant, Miroku? What are we going to do then?"  
  
"We'll have to take it one step at a time. We don't know if she's pregnant or not yet. We'll just have to wait it out. If she is, then we'll just have to bring it along with us."  
  
Inuyasha sighed, "Yeah, I guess so. Well, we should get back before the girls start to worry."  
  
Miroku nodded and they walked back to the village. 


	8. Inuyasha's Confession

They left early that afternoon in search of more Shikon shards. They walked till the moon was high in the sky. Then they stopped to make camp.  
  
Inuyasha had volunteered to take the first watch, so he sat away from the campfire just outside a small clearing in the woods.  
  
He stared up at the moon. It was three-quarters dark. "It won't be long now." thought Inuyasha. Suddenly, he heard a rustling in the trees. It was Kotori.  
  
"Kotori, what are you doing here?" asked Inuyasha.  
  
"I thought you could use a drink to give you energy on your watch. Here." said Kotori as she handed Inuyasha the cup.  
  
He sniffed it. It had a sweet smell of blended herbs.  
  
"What? Don't you trust what I make?" asked Kotori.  
  
"Of course I trust you. I just wanted to know what it was, that's all."  
  
"Like I said, it'll give you energy for your watch."  
  
Inuyasha smiled and drained the cup. When he handed the cup back to her, she smiled and said, "Thanks. Do you mind if I sit with you? You know, keep you company for a while?"  
  
He smiled, "Sure. Have a seat."  
  
She sat beside him and looked up at the stars. "Wow, the stars sure are bright tonight."  
  
Inuyasha nodded, but he wasn't looking at the stars. He was looking at Kotori. "Why do I feel this way? Was there something in that mixture she gave me to make me act like this? No, she wouldn't do something like that. I admit that I am attracted to her, but she's got Miroku, and I've got Kagome. Well, sort of." thought Inuyasha.  
  
"Can I ask you a question, Inuyasha?" She hadn't taken her eyes off the sky.  
  
He was startled back into reality, "Sure. What is it?"  
  
She hesitated for a moment, still gazing at the stars, "What do you think of me, Inuyasha?"  
  
"Well, I think you're kind, and noble, and considerate, and amazingly talented..." started Inuyasha.  
  
Kotori put a finger to his lips, "No, I mean what do you think of this?" She took one of his hands and placed it on her breast.  
  
He was startled at how straightforward she was. "Well, I..." he stuttered.  
  
He looked into her eyes and couldn't control himself anymore. He kissed her. Kotori tired not to stiffen against his kiss, but it was hard for her to pretend to like it.  
  
When he released her from the kiss, she sat in his lap, facing him. He kissed her again, this time with more fever and passion. She broke off the kiss and looked at Inuyasha.  
  
"Before this goes any further, answer me one question truthfully."  
  
He nodded.  
  
"Do you love me, Inuyasha?" she asked. She leaned in to kiss him again before he could answer.  
  
She was just about to kiss him when he gave her a reply. "No. I... I love.... Kagome..." said Inuyasha softly.  
  
She stopped before their lips met. "What did you say?"  
  
"I said, I don't love you. I love Kagome." said Inuyasha, loudly.  
  
Kotori sat up and smiled. "Did you hear that, Kagome?" she shouted.  
  
There was a rustling in the trees and Inuyasha saw Kagome jump down from a tree branch.  
  
"Loud and clear, Kotori." said Kagome.  
  
"How about you, Miroku?" shouted Kotori.  
  
"Crystal clear. Shigure?" said Miroku as he too jumped down from a tree branch.  
  
"No question about it." said Shigure as he walked out from behind the tree.  
  
"Hey! We heard it too!" shouted Kita as she and Shippo fell from another branch.  
  
"I thought Shigure and I tied and gagged you two." said Miroku.  
  
"You did. We got rid of the gags, just not the ropes." said Shippo as he and Kita crawled towards them, their front and back paws tied together.  
  
"Yeah, and why did you two do that anyway?" asked Kita as Kotori untied her and Shippo.  
  
"Well, there are some things that are not meant for children's eyes." replied Miroku.  
  
Inuyasha just stared at them.  
  
"Oh, Inuyasha, I'm so sorry. That was the only way that I could find out if you had feelings for Kagome. I made a mixture that brought my curse back and when I asked you to answer me truthfully, if you had feelings for someone else, you would reject me. Curse or no."  
  
"I understand." said Inuyasha.  
  
Miroku walked over to Kotori and said, "Why don't we get Kita and Shippo to bed, Kotori?"  
  
She nodded and they took the two cubs back to the camp with Shigure trailing behind them.  
  
Once they were out of earshot, Kagome sat next to Inuyasha.  
  
"Inuyasha, I have something to confess. I... I love you too. I didn't want to tell you before because I was afraid that you would reject me."  
  
He looked at her, "I felt the same way."  
  
She smiled, "Well, I know that this is sudden, but what do you say we work on our relation...."  
  
Inuyasha cut her off with a kiss. "Does that answer your question?"  
  
"Yes. Yes it does." 


	9. The Story of the Kenakari

Sesshomaru had been traveling nonstop for the past two days. When he had arrived at the village the day before, the villagers told him that she had already left.  
  
"How could a human be so damn hard to catch?" thought Sesshomaru as finally stopped to rest under a tree.  
  
He looked down at Rin and was filled with pity. Her breathing was becoming more and more labored. She was deathly thin because she could barely keep any food down, and she was burning up with fever.  
  
"Jaken."  
  
"Yes milord?" squeaked the toad.  
  
"Fetch Rin some cold water. We need to try and keep the fever down until we can find Kotori." said Sesshomaru.  
  
"Right away milord!"  
  
He returned a few minutes later with a small amount of water. Sesshomaru tore off a piece of his kimono and dipped it into the water. He dabbed Rin's forehead lightly and tried to get her to drink. Her lips were cracked and bleeding, but she looked up at Sesshomaru and smiled weakly. She only took two sips of the water before she turned her head to his chest and slept.  
  
"We have to hurry Jaken. She won't last much longer."  
  
"Yes milord." said Jaken glumly.  
  
  
  
Kotori watched the sun sink behind the trees. She hadn't had two minutes peace for the past two days. They had fought off at least five demons, with no shards to show for it.  
  
"Well, what did I expect? I knew this wasn't going to be easy." she thought to herself.  
  
Suddenly, she felt two strong arms wrap themselves around her waist. "What's wrong, my love?" Miroku's voice whispered in her ear.  
  
She sighed, "Nothing. It's just nice to have a moment's peace after all that fighting. I'm really tired."  
  
He kissed her neck and brought her closer to him, "So am I. Why don't we have some dinner, then we can go to sleep? Kagome is making rice balls."  
  
"Mmm. Sounds delicious."  
  
He chuckled, "Come on. Let's go."  
  
They walked hand-in-hand towards the camp. Shigure was sitting up in a tree. He had been watching Miroku and Kotori talking.  
  
"You are my enemy, Miroku. My rival in love. I love Kotori with all of my heart, but you snatched away any chances I could have had with her. I swear I will do all that I can to keep you two apart." vowed Shigure under his breath.  
  
He jumped down from the tree and joined the others in dinner.  
  
"Kotori, I was wondering," said Shippo in between mouthfuls, "What's so special about the Kenakari? I mean, why does everyone want it?"  
  
Kotori took out her sword and placed it on the ground. "Well, as you can see, it is a double-bladed sword. Very unusual for a samurai sword. It is said that everything that lives has a good and an evil side. This blade is included. It also is made up of good and evil. The good side is represented by one side of the blade, evil is represented by the other." She ran her fingers on each side of the blade.  
  
"But how can a sword be alive?" asked Kagome.  
  
"My master once told me that whoever possess the Kenakari, shares their life force with it. Virtually, giving life to the sword." replied Kotori.  
  
"What about the good and evil sides? What's all that about?" asked Inuyasha impatiently.  
  
"Well, like all living things, this blade possess a good and evil side. The bottom edge of this blade is said to have enough power to slay one hundred demons, or humans, in one swipe. That makes it the evil side of the sword."  
  
"Wow, sounds like the Tetsusaiga, doesn't it Inuyasha? Only your sword can't slay humans." said Shippo.  
  
Inuyasha said nothing. Kotori continued, "The top edge of this blade is said to have extraordinary healing powers."  
  
"There are even rumors that it can bring people back from the dead. But it could just be local lore." said Shigure.  
  
"Sounds like an amazing sword." said Kagome.  
  
"I've heard tales of that sword. Actually, I had planned to steal it after I had used the Shikon Jewel. But that was before I met Kikyo." said Inuyasha.  
  
Everyone was silent for a moment, then Miroku spoke up, "I think I'm going to turn in for the night."  
  
"Yeah, me too. And it's bedtime for you two." said Kotori as she pointed to Kita and Shippo.  
  
"I'm tired too. Well, good night everyone." said Kagome as she went over to her pack and got out her sleeping bag.  
  
As usual, Inuyasha had taken the first watch. He laid his back against a tree and closed his eyes, listening for any sounds that might suggest an attack. All he could hear was the chirping of cicadas and the bubbling of a nearby spring. 


	10. Painful Memories

CAUTION!!!! This chapter contains topics that are NOT suitable for children!!!! All children please leave!!!!   
  
Thanks. Enjoy chapter 10!!!  
  
~Tiger of the Shadows~  
  
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Inuyasha's eyes snapped open when a piercing scream reached his ears. When he looked around, he realized that it was way past midnight.  
  
"That's Kotori's scream! Damn! How long have I been asleep?" said Inuyasha. He jumped down from the branch and rushed over to where he heard Kotori scream. He found her by the stream, but she wasn't alone.   
  
She was lying on the ground and a strange man was on top of her, holding a dagger to her throat. Where flesh and blade met, a thin stream of blood trickled down her neck. Her clothes were ripped and the top of her robes were open, exposing her breasts. The bottom of her robes looked like they had been cut open. Her hands were tied together above her head and the rope was tied to a tree.  
  
That was more than enough to tell Inuyasha what was going on. He heard Miroku, Kagome, Shippo, Shigure, and Kita run up behind him.  
  
"What in the Seven Hells is going on here?" shouted Inuyasha.  
  
The man quickly looked at the people who had intruded on him. "She's mine! Stay away from her!"  
  
Once those words were spoken, the man immediately regretted them. Miroku charged at him, swinging his staff wildly. Inuyasha unsheathed the Tetsusaiga and, surprised that it had transformed, ran after Miroku. Shigure unsheathed his sword and followed the others, anger burning in his eyes. Shippo and Kita had tried to help the others, but Kagome held them back.  
  
"We should help untie Kotori." said Kagome.  
  
They cubs nodded and quietly ran to Kotori.  
  
When the man saw Inuyasha, Miroku, and Shigure running at him, he quickly got off Kotori, grabbed his clothes, and ran into the woods. The others quickly caught up with him. Miroku beat him with his staff, Shigure slashed him with his sword, and Inuyasha decapitated him with the Tetsusaiga.  
  
Miroku continued beating the headless corpse screaming, "You sick bastard! I hope you end up in the lowest level of the Seven Hells you sick, sick bastard!"  
  
Inuyasha pulled Miroku away from the corpse and said, "He's dead Miroku. He got what he deserved, you can count on that."  
  
As Inuyasha, Miroku, and Shigure took care of the man, Kagome quickly untied Kotori and took her in her arms.  
  
"Kotori! Kotori are you ok?" asked Kita.  
  
Kotori looked at her and smiled, "I'm ok now Kita. Thank you for untying me Kagome."  
  
Kagome smiled, "Sure thing."  
  
Miroku quickly ran to Kotori and held her in his arms. He noticed that her chest was covered with cuts and bruises along with her arms and legs.  
  
He looked at her, his eyes full of concern and love, and said, "How did this happen?"  
  
"Well, I was getting a drink of water from the stream when that man came up behind me. He pushed me to the ground and tied my hands together so I couldn't struggle. Then he tore my clothes and held a knife to my throat." said Kotori weakly.  
  
Suddenly, Miroku felt something damp on his lap where Kotori sat. He looked down and saw that where the bottom of her robes had been torn were covered in a sticky substance. He parted the torn pieces of cloth and was shocked to discover the insides of her thighs were covered in blood.  
  
"My God. He.... he raped you." said Kagome.  
  
"He was the second person to do that to me." said Kotori softly.  
  
"Who was the first to do this to you? I swear to all the Gods in heaven I'll kill him." said Inuyasha, his hand moving to the hilt of the Tetsusaiga.  
  
"No, please don't Inuyasha." said Kotori.  
  
"Why not? Just tell me his name and I'll hunt that bastard down and tear out his throat." said Inuyasha.  
  
"I can't let you do that." said Kotori.  
  
"And why the hell not? Who was it?" shouted Inuyasha.  
  
She hesitated, wondering whether she should tell them or not. Finally, she spoke, "It was Shigure." 


	11. The Truth of Shigure's Past

Everyone stared open-mouthed at Kotori. Finally, Kagome spoke, "You're kidding right? All Shigure wants to do is protect you. Right Shigure?" She looked at him, but he did not meet her glance.  
  
"What Kotori says is true. I have deeply wronged her, and for that I am truly sorry." said Shigure softly.  
  
"But that doesn't make sense." said Kagome.  
  
"Yes it does," said Inuyasha, "Why else would he be so eager to protect her?"  
  
"To prevent the past from repeating itself." said Miroku softly.  
  
"But why would you do such a thing, Shigure?" asked Shippo.  
  
"It was before I had invented the antidote to my curse. I was still developing it, so I was very vulnerable. I had managed to successfully keep the men away, physically hurting them if I had to. Yet there was only one person I couldn't bear to hurt." said Kotori, tears streaming down her cheeks.  
  
"Her best friend, Shigure." finished Kita.  
  
"How do you know about something like this Kita?" asked Inuyasha.  
  
"Because I was there when it happened. I had to scratch and bite Shigure until he stopped. It was a terrible sight." she answered, her voice was grave.  
  
Miroku looked angrily at Shigure, "So you raped her! You didn't even bother to completely take her virginity, did you?"  
  
"What are you talking about Miroku?" asked Kagome.  
  
"Kotori and I made love a few nights ago, and I discovered that her barrier had been broken, but not all the way through. I can't imagine how painful that must have been." said Miroku, anger and hatred burned in his eyes, "If it's the last thing I do, Shigure, I will make you pay for what you have done!"  
  
He reached for his staff, but he felt a soft hand on his, "Please don't hurt him. It wasn't his fault."  
  
He looked down at Kotori and saw the pity in her eyes. "You've seen how he protects me. He didn't want to hurt me then. It was because of the curse."  
  
"Every day of my life I regret what I did. After it happened, I tried to drown myself, but Kotori saved me. Ever since that day, I have vowed to prevent something like that to happen again. I guess I failed." said Shigure, head hung low.  
  
Miroku stood up, Kotori in his arms. "I will never forgive you for what you have done, Shigure, but for Kotori's sake, I will not kill you." With that said, Miroku made his way back to the camp, never looking back once.  
  
Inuyasha looked at Shigure with pity, but he too returned to the camp, hand-in-hand with Kagome. Shippo jumped on Kagome's shoulder, but Kita stayed behind with Shigure.  
  
"That wasn't you who did that. I know that you would never do anything to intentionally hurt Kotori. What's in the past is history. You have to make your life better than it was in the past. I know Kotori has forgiven you, and so have I." said Kita as she put a comforting hand on Shigure's shoulder.  
  
He looked at her and smiled weakly, "Thank you, Kita." He stood up and they walked together back to the camp. 


	12. A Kiss and the Lady Kaede

Miroku stayed by Kotori's side all night, not even bothering to sleep, for fear she would need him. She slept somewhat peacefully, despite how much pain she was in. He had taken off his lighter purple robe and wrapped it around her like a blanket. He was dabbing her face with a cold cloth when her eyes fluttered open.  
  
He smiled, "How are you feeling my love?"  
  
"Much better. I can barely feel any pain now. Why don't you get to bed? You look like you need the sleep."  
  
"I want to stay by you to make sure nothing like that ever happens again."  
  
She smiled and stroked his cheek, "If I didn't have you to love me, Miroku, I don't know what I'd do."  
  
He bent down and kissed her lightly on the lips, "If I didn't have you, Kotori, I'd wish I were dead."  
  
She ended the kiss and said, "Now get some sleep. I don't want to have to worry about your health." said Kotori. Just as Miroku was about to protest, she put a finger to his lips. "If you won't do it for yourself, do it for me. Please."  
  
He sighed, "Fine." He laid down beside her and wrapped an arm around her waist.  
  
She turned on her side so that her back was against his chest. His grip on her waist tightened as he brought her body to press up against his.  
  
He was comforted by the heat of her back against his chest and was soon asleep.  
  
"Sleep well, my Miroku." she said softly, before she, too, drifted off to sleep.  
  
Kagome laid awake in her sleeping bag, arms above her head. The events of the night kept replaying themselves in her head.  
  
"There is absolutely no way I'm going to be able to sleep now. Maybe I should go keep Inuyasha company." said Kagome to herself.  
  
She slowly got out of her sleeping bag, careful not to wake Shippo, and quietly made her way over to where Inuyasha was keeping watch. As she passed by, she saw Miroku holding Kotori in his arms. They were both sleeping peacefully.  
  
"They were meant for each other. I hope Inuyasha and I will be that close one day." thought Kagome.  
  
She found Inuyasha sitting underneath a tree. He looked regal with the moonlight shining on his face, illuminating his facial features.  
  
"Inuyasha?" said Kagome softly.  
  
He quickly turned around, "Oh, Kagome. What are you doing up?"  
  
"I couldn't sleep. Would you mind if I stayed with you for a while?"  
  
"No, go ahead." said Inuyasha as he patted the ground beside him.  
  
She sat down beside him and looked up at the moon.   
  
They had been silent for a few minutes before Inuyasha spoke, "So, how's Kotori?"  
  
"She's asleep."  
  
"That's good. Let me guess, Miroku is asleep next to her, right?"  
  
Kagome smiled, "Yeah. Could you blame him though? I mean, the woman he wants to spend the rest of his life with was just raped. I think he deserves to sleep next to her."  
  
"You're right. He does deserve it." After thinking for a few moments, Inuyasha said, "Do you think we'll be like them?"  
  
His question took Kagome by surprise, "What do you mean?"  
  
"Well, do you think we'll ever be that much in love?"  
  
She looked at him, "I hope so. Don't you?"  
  
He turned to look at her and cupped her chin in one hand, "Of course I do. Nothing in this world would make me happier." Then he kissed her.  
  
Kagome was taken by surprise at first, but then she let herself sink into the passion that was welling up inside her. She could feel Inuyasha's hands caress the small of her back.  
  
Inuyasha's sensitive nose picked up a scent that was growing stronger by the minute. Kagome's arousal. His nostrils were flooded with the scent, driving him crazy.  
  
"Dammit Kagome! Do you have any idea what you're scent is doing to me?" thought Inuyasha.  
  
Without realizing what he had done, Inuyasha laid Kagome on the ground. He could feel his manhood harden as his hands caressed her.  
  
"Great! Now I'm horny! This is just wonderful!" thought Inuyasha sarcastically.  
  
Suddenly, they heard a rustling in the bushes. They quickly sat up and looked around to see who was coming.  
  
Kita staggered towards them, her eyes half closed. When she saw Inuyasha and Kagome, she rubbed her eyes and yawned.  
  
"What are you doing up, Kita?" asked Kagome.  
  
"I went to get a drink. I'm going back to bed now. 'Night." said Kita sleepily. Then she walked back to the camp and laid down beside Shigure again.  
  
"That was close." said Inuyasha once Kita was out of earshot.  
  
"Yeah." said Kagome. After a few moments of silence, Kagome placed her head on Inuyasha's shoulder.  
  
He wrapped one arm around her waist and in no time she was asleep. "Goodnight, my Kagome." he said softly.  
  
The next few days passed by quickly. Miroku had not spoken to Shigure at all since the night of the incident, no matter how much Kotori tired to persuade him.  
  
Kotori was up and about the very next day, despite the protests of the others. Inuyasha and the others thought that Kotori needed to be checked out by Kaede, so they left that afternoon and traveled for the next three days towards Kaede's village.   
  
Kaede was very happy to see Kotori. As soon as she saw her, she embraced her tightly saying, "I have missed you so much these past few years. How have you been, my dear?"  
  
"I've been quite well." lied Kotori, "And how about yourself?"  
  
"I'm fine. Now, everyone come inside. You all may stay as long as you like." said Kaede cheerfully as she led them into her hut.  
  
"Kagome, why don't you take Kotori around the village? I'm sure she'd love to see it again." said Inuyasha.  
  
Kagome, understanding Inuyasha's meaning, took Kotori by the hand and said, "Ok. Come on Kotori."  
  
Once they were out of earshot, Inuyasha quickly told Kaede about "the incident".  
  
"I had a feeling that there was another reason for you to visit. Why would she lie to me like that?" asked Kaede.  
  
"Because she didn't want you to worry about her," replied Miroku, "She didn't want to seem weak. We want you to make sure that she is all right."  
  
Kaede nodded, "I see. Well, I will do that, just give me some time. Stay a while, I'm sure after such a traumatic experience, you all need a good rest."  
  
They agreed to stay, and when Kagome and Kotori got back, Kaede took Kotori aside.  
  
"Why don't we sit and talk for a while? Catch up on the past few years?" suggested Kaede.  
  
Kotori smiled and joined her in a cup of tea.  
  
"Inuyasha, Miroku, and Shigure told me something very interesting today."  
  
"What was that?" asked Kotori. A feeling deep down told her that she already knew what it was.  
  
"They told me that a few nights ago, you were.... attacked."  
  
Kotori put her cup of tea to her lips, "It is true. But you trained me to be a warrior, so I was prepared to fight."  
  
"You know what I'm talking about, Kotori. They say it had happened to you once before. By a person you trusted greatly..."  
  
"Shigure." finished Kotori softly.  
  
"Why did you lie to me? I would not have thought anything less of you. All I want to do is help you."  
  
"I know, and I'm sorry. I just didn't want.... anyone's pity. It made me feel like I was weak." said Kotori, her eyes welling up with tears.  
  
Kaede pulled Kotori close to her and Kotori laid her head against her shoulder. "Now, now my child. We all have to face our fears at one point in our lives. You mustn't be afraid to show your feelings. There is a weakness in everyone, no matter how physically, mentally, or emotionally strong they are. The biggest battle you must fight is the one against yourself, and to win, you must face your fears. No matter how tough it may seem, you just have to keep on fighting."  
  
"I'll try my very best."  
  
Kaede smiled, "Good. Now why don't I see how much damage was done, huh?"  
  
Kotori nodded, "Ok."  
  
About half an hour later, Kaede found everyone sitting outside her hut. They all jumped up when they saw her and Miroku was the first to start asking questions.  
  
"Is she all right? How much damage was done? Can I see her?"  
  
"Relax, Miroku. I gave her some herbs that will make her sleep for a while. You may see her when she wakes." replied Kaede.  
  
"Well, what about the damage? How bad was it?" asked Kagome.  
  
Kaede sighed, "Much has been done. She will heal, but it will be a slow process. What she needs right now is rest."  
  
They nodded and Kaede left them. 


	13. Questions and Worries

All Miroku could do was pace while they all waited for Kotori to wake up, much to the annoyance of everyone else.  
  
"Relax Miroku, or you'll wear a hole in the ground." said Kita as she hung upside down from a tree branch.  
  
"How can I relax when she's hurt?"  
  
Shippo rolled his eyes, "Kaede said she's going to be fine. She just needs rest. You're acting like she was having your baby or something."  
  
Miroku stopped in his tracks.  
  
"Wait, she isn't having your baby, is she?" said Kita, suspiciously.  
  
Miroku's face was drained of all color. "That's the problem. I don't know."  
  
Shigure grabbed the front of Miroku's robes, "What do you mean you don't know!?"  
  
Miroku released himself from Shigure's grasp and stared at him coldly. "I mean I don't know if she's carrying my child or not! I don't know if she's carrying a child at all!"  
  
"What if she is carrying your child? Or worse, what if she's carrying the child of that man we killed? What would we do then?" asked Inuyasha who was sitting with his back against a tree trunk.  
  
"Would you just lighten up, Inuyasha? If she's having a baby, then she's having a baby! We should welcome it all the same, no matter who's it is." said Kagome.  
  
"Could we just stop talking about this? We don't even know if she's pregnant or not, yet. Let's just wait it out." said Kita.  
  
"You may see her now, Miroku." said a voice behind them.  
  
They all quickly turned around to discover that Kaede was standing beside her hut, holding the flap open.  
  
Miroku nodded and walked inside.  
  
He found Kotori lying comfortably on a futon next to a warm fire. He hadn't realized how cold it had gotten with the coming of fall. He quietly knelt beside her and looked at her sleeping face. It was peaceful and carefree, like everything that had happened in the past few days was simply a bad dream that she had awakened from. Safe and unharmed.  
  
"This is my Kotori. This is the woman I love, the woman I would give my life for. She has suffered far too much in her lifetime, and all I want to do is take away all her pain and suffering, to make her whole once more." thought Miroku as he lightly stroked her cheek.  
  
Her eyes slowly opened at his touch and she smiled when she saw him, "Hello Miroku."  
  
He smiled, "Hello Kotori. How are you feeling?"  
  
"Just as I felt when I got here. Fine. How are you feeling?"  
  
"Wonderful, now that I know you'll be ok."  
  
"I told you that before. Now I'm ready to set off again and find the other jewel fragments." said Kotori as she tried to sit up.  
  
Miroku placed a hand on her chest and gently pushed her back down. "Lady Kaede said you need rest. I don't want you over exerting yourself so early in your recovery."  
  
"I told you I'm fine! I just needed a little rest and now I'm...." But her sentence was cut short by Miroku's lips.  
  
His kiss was light at first, just tempting her, making her want more. She deepened the kiss, pulling him down towards her. She wrapped her arms around his neck and opened her mouth to receive his eager tongue. He explored her mouth. He ran his tongue along the back of her front teeth, ran it along the roof of her mouth, and massaged her tongue with his own.  
  
She moaned into his mouth and clutched his robes tightly. Then her hand went to the knot that held his robes together and untied it.  
  
His robes slipped off his shoulders and came to rest at the top of his waist. When he noticed, he quickly broke off the kiss and sat up.  
  
"No we can't do this! She's still recovering! This is the last thing her body needs right now!" thought Miroku.  
  
Kotori looked up at him and frowned. "What's wrong?"  
  
Miroku sighed, "You know we can't do this."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"You know perfectly well why not. Number one, you're still recovering, number two, we're in Lady Kaede's hut, and number three, Inuyasha and the others are waiting outside! What if they walk in on us?"  
  
"Relax," said Kotori, running her hands up and down his bare chest, "I have a feeling they won't walk in on us."  
  
Miroku thought for a minute, "Well, if you're sure you really want to do this. Are you sure you feel up to it?"  
  
She smiled at him, "I'm positively sure that I feel up to it, Miroku."  
  
  
  
Kaede stood outside her hut and was just about to enter when she heard Kotori and Miroku talking. She listened intently and just as the conversation ended, she took a small peek inside. Miroku was bare-chested and he had straddled Kotori, who was still lying down. She quickly closed the flap to her hut and hurried away, completely forgetting that Inuyasha and the others were sitting right outside.  
  
She chuckled to herself, "I see that the Kotori I once knew has changed for the better."  
  
Inuyasha noticed Kaede hurry away after looking in the hut, so naturally, his curiosity kicked in. He strained his ears to see if he could pick up anything Kotori and Miroku were talking about, if in fact that was what they were doing, which he doubted.  
  
After a few seconds, he picked up a sound. Though faint, it told him everything he needed to know. He quickly turned to Kagome and said, "We should give them a little privacy and space. We can all talk to her later."  
  
Kagome was confused at Inuyasha's sudden interest in Kotori and Miroku's privacy. She began to think of all the reasons why he'd act like this, when she heard a small sound. Her eyes widened when she recognized it and she quickly grabbed Shippo and Kita.  
  
"Hey! What are you doing Kagome!? Put us down!" shouted Shippo.  
  
"Inuyasha's right. We should give them some privacy." said Kagome as she carried Shippo and Kita off. Inuyasha followed close behind her.  
  
Shigure began to follow them, but he turned around and took one last look at the hut. Then he turned back around and followed Inuyasha and Kagome into the village.  
  
As Kagome carried her off, Kita's ears twitched and she began to realize why Kagome was in such a hurry. 


	14. A Promise

WARNING!!! This chapter contains LEMON CONTENT!!!!! No children allowed!!! Please respect that. You have been warned!  
  
Thanks  
  
~Ryouko-Kitsune~  
  
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Miroku slowly pulled off the blanket that covered Kotori and smiled. All she had on was the cloth that covered her womanhood and the bandages that bound her breasts. He had forgotten that, as a priestess, she was expected to bind her breasts not only for modesty, but to make it easier to fight as well.  
  
"Well, those bandages won't stay on for long." thought Miroku to himself as he gazed down at her.  
  
Her hands roamed his broad and muscled chest. His skin was soft to the touch, and she knew just what would drive him crazy. She ran the tips of her fingers up and down his chest, and he moaned softly. She smiled, enjoying the effect her actions had on her lover.  
  
Miroku felt himself become aroused again and he bent over to kiss her once more. His curious hands explored her abused body. They felt the gentle curves of her hips, the softness of her skin, and the tight muscles in her stomach.   
  
When his hands reached her bound breasts, he lightly ran his hands over the bandages and began to unwrap them, with some difficulty.  
  
Feeling frustrated, he looked around for something he could cut them with. He found a small knife and slid it under the bindings.  
  
Kotori felt the cold steel touch her skin and she shivered a bit. Yet, with the certainty of Miroku's hands, she wasn't afraid he would cut her.  
  
He thrust the knife upward and the bandages fell away, exposing her large, milk-white breasts. He threw the pieces of bandages aside and looked down at his love.  
  
Her hair was tossed playfully about her face and breasts, and her sparkling blue eyes studied him intently. Some sunlight had crept through the shades covering the windows to lay themselves gracefully across her body, making her look as though she were some divine spirit.  
  
"She looks like a goddess sent straight from the heavens!" thought Miroku as he gazed at the beautiful form beneath him.  
  
He bent down again and lightly kissed her lips. Then, he left a trail of kisses down her neck, across her collar bone, and in-between her breasts.  
  
She moaned softly and ran her hands up and down his back. When he took one of her breasts into his mouth, she gasped at the sudden pleasure.  
  
He suckled her breast lightly, swirling his tongue around her nipple, making it hard. Yet he had not neglected the other breast. His hand moved in similar motions with his tongue. Then he switched to the other breast and repeated the process.  
  
Then he began to move lower, planting small kisses down her stomach. When he reached the cloth that protected her womanhood, he raised his hands to untie the knots and slip the thin cloth off her slender hips.  
  
By now, his manhood was hard and throbbing painfully, but no matter how bad he wanted to take her right then and there, he kept himself in check.  
  
Just as he was about to remove the cloth, she pulled him up to her and kissed him passionately.  
  
He broke off the kiss and looked at her in surprise, "Why did you stop me?"  
  
She smiled mischievously at him, "I don't want you doing all the work."  
  
Suddenly, he felt her soft hands caressing his hard and throbbing shaft. Before he could stop himself, he moaned loudly, "Oh Gods!"  
  
She smiled and continued to stroke his manhood, using only the tips of her fingers.  
  
When he regained some control, he looked down. She had slipped her hands down his robes while they were talking. She stopped briefly to remove the rest of his robes and roll him over so she was on top, and he was able to regained some of his composure.  
  
Yet, no sooner did he regain it, Kotori once again began to stroke him and he was lost in the sensations.  
  
Just as he was about to reach the end of his control, he pulled her hands away and flipped her back over so he was on top. Then he hastily removed her thin undergarment.  
  
She was breathing in mewing gasps as he showered her body with kisses, sending shivers up and down her spine. She could barely control herself, but she was able to tell Miroku what she wanted. "M...Miroku! Take.....take me now! Please!"  
  
Without further hesitation, Miroku granted her request. He thrust into her and she cried out in ecstacy. It was a little painful because most of her wounds were still healing, but she pushed the pain from her mind.  
  
"I wish we could stay like this forever." thought Kotori, but her thoughts were interrupted when Miroku began to move in and out of her.  
  
Slowly, but surely, Kotori began to match his movements. Their bodies molded together like two pieces of a jigsaw puzzle.  
  
Then Miroku did something unexpected. He sat on his heels and brought Kotori onto his lap, not once breaking their sacred union.  
  
Almost immediately the pleasure was intensified. Kotori cried out and wrapped her arms around Miroku's neck. He placed his hands on her hips and thrust harder and harder into her, kissing her neck and breasts.  
  
When she began to thrust against him, he grunted and almost lost control. "You won't pull something like that again." thought Miroku, lovingly.  
  
With the last of his energy, he thrust one final time into his love and he lost it all. He could feel his white, hot seed spill into her womb and she cried out as she followed his climax.  
  
Finally, they collapsed out of shear exhaustion. Miroku, still inside Kotori, brought them both down on her futon. He nuzzled her neck and she giggled softly.  
  
With his free hand, Miroku grabbed the sheet he had thrown aside earlier and draped it over the two of them. When he looked into her eyes, he could tell that something was on her mind, though he didn't have to wait long to find out what it was.  
  
She looked at him, wearing an almost pained expression. "I must tell you something, Miroku."  
  
His heart jumped, "What is it?"  
  
She hesitated, as though she were afraid to tell him, but when she spoke, she spoke softly, "My monthly courses came upon me this morning."  
  
Miroku breathed a sigh of relief. "What's so bad about that?"  
  
She turned her head away from him, trying to hide the fact that her eyes were welling up with tears. "I have failed to give you a child." Her voice sounded as if she was going to break down and cry any minute.  
  
Miroku stroked her head, "Don't worry my love. We are still young. We have plenty of time to have children. Besides, even if you could never give me a child, it wouldn't matter because all I care about is you."  
  
She turned to face him again and he saw the tears streaming down her face, "Really?"  
  
He smiled, "Really. As long as I have you, my life is complete. I couldn't ask for anything more."  
  
She wiped the tears from her eyes and said, "I promise you that I will bear you a child, no matter what! We just gave ourselves another chance for a child, so maybe we'll get lucky."  
  
He smiled, "Maybe."  
  
She curled up against him, and said softly, "Thank you, Miroku." Within a matter of minutes, Kotori was fast asleep, comforted by Miroku's warm body.  
  
"No, thank you Kotori." said Miroku softly, before he too drifted off to sleep. 


	15. Torturing Scents

Sesshomaru stood over a decaying, headless corpse. He wrinkled his nose in disgust, but his sharp nose picked up the scent he needed.  
  
"How did I know that my half-breed brother has been here? All I have to do is follow the trails of corpses and there he is. I've missed him by about two days by the look of this corpse. I'll just have to follow his odor until I find him and the priestess." said Sesshomaru to himself.  
  
Jaken waddled up to him and squeaked, "Milord! I am almost certain that your half-brother Inuyasha has been here! I'm sure we could have caught him if we hadn't stopped for the sickly human."  
  
Sesshomaru smacked Jaken over the head with the scabbard of his sword.  
  
"Watch your insolence, toad." said Sesshomaru calmly, "We must travel as fast as possible if we want to catch my filthy half-brother. Come Jaken, and bring Rin."  
  
Jaken rubbed his sore head and waddled over to his master, carrying little Rin in his scrawny arms, "Yes, Milord."  
  
Inuyasha was hiding at the top of a tree and he had the sleeve of his kimono covering his nose. If he had stayed with Kotori and Kagome any longer, he would have gone crazy.  
  
A day had passed since they had arrived in Kaede's village and things were very awkward between Miroku, Kotori, and the others. Kagome and Inuyasha were desperately trying to hide the fact that they had overheard what Kotori and Miroku had been "doing" in Kaede's hut. They were jumpy whenever Kotori or Miroku talked to them or approached them, and Kotori and Miroku found this quite odd. Shigure and Shippo, as always, were completely oblivious to what was going on.  
  
Inuyasha's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of rustling in the bushes below. He quickly looked down to see who had intruded on him. Miroku.  
  
"What's wrong, Inuyasha? What are you doing up there?"  
  
"Can't a guy sit up in a tree and think without people asking what's wrong?" snapped Inuyasha, still covering his nose.  
  
"Well, it's unusual for you to up and run out on Kagome and Kotori for no reason. Now tell me what's the matter."  
  
"He's too embarrassed to tell you." said a familiar voice in the trees.  
  
"I am not embarrassed!" shouted Inuyasha at the disembodied voice.  
  
Kita swung upside down from a branch above Inuyasha's head, "Then why won't you tell Miroku what's going on, huh?"  
  
Inuyasha was a bit startled by Kita's dramatic entrance, but quickly regained his composure. "Why should I tell him? He can't smell it, so it's not his problem!"  
  
Kita sighed, "You're such a baby, Inuyasha."  
  
Inuyasha turned bright red, "I am not!"  
  
"Are too!"  
  
"Am not!"  
  
"Are too!"  
  
"Am not!"  
  
"ENOUGH!" shouted Shigure. He had just appeared from behind a tree not too far from Inuyasha's.  
  
Everyone turned to Shigure. "What's your problem?" asked Inuyasha.  
  
Shigure sighed, "It's very hard to hunt when you two are fighting like small children."  
  
"We are not fighting like small children!" shouted Kita and Inuyasha in unison.  
  
"Are too."  
  
"Are not!"  
  
"Are too!"  
  
"Are not!"  
  
"Are too!"  
  
"Kita, are you going to explain what is wrong with Inuyasha or not?" asked Miroku, loudly.  
  
Kita stopped shouting and smiled. "Sure. It's quite simple, really."  
  
"Well, then what is it?" asked Shigure.  
  
Kita, still hanging upside down from the branch, removed Inuyasha's sleeve from his nose, "Kotori and Kagome are in heat!"  
  
The scents of the two girls flooded his nose, which was strange because they were no where near him, and he, overpowered by the scents, fell out of the tree and landed into a pile of dead leaves.  
  
Kita jumped down from the tree and landed on Inuyasha's back. He grunted as she landed.   
  
"When female demons give off that scent, male demons go nuts and try to claim the females. Though not as potent, human females give off a similar scent. I guess it was just too much for Inuyasha.   
  
"To him, those scents mean it's time to mate. I guess he's fighting off the urge to fuck the brains out of both of them." explained Kita.  
  
She got off Inuyasha and took a close look at him. He was still conscious, but very disorientated.   
  
She tugged at one of his ears and sighed, "Pathetic, isn't it?"  
  
Miroku nodded. Then Kita, Shigure, and Miroku turned to leave.  
  
Inuyasha had regained some of his senses and called out to them, "Hey! Isn't anyone going to help me or what?"  
  
"Help yourself you horny freak." said Kita, without turning around.  
  
"What a pervert." said Shigure.  
  
"You can say that again." agreed Miroku.  
  
"Hey! Hey wait! Come back! It's not like I'm doing it on purpose!" shouted Inuyasha as he slowly got up from the ground.  
  
"Whatever!" shouted Kita. Then they all disappeared from Inuyasha's sight.  
  
He sighed and kicked the ground, "Stupid hormones."  
  
  
  
Once Inuyasha had left, two figures emerged from the foliage. One had raven colored hair and the other had hair the color of amber.  
  
Kotori laughed softly, "See. I told you that's why Inuyasha left. I guess the scents of a priestess and a reincarnation of a priestess in heat are too much for him. Priestesses scents must be far more powerful than a regular woman. What a poor soul."  
  
"I know. You almost feel sorry for him. The key word there being almost." said Kagome.  
  
"So are you going to stop torturing the poor guy and give him what his body is telling him he needs or not?" asked Kotori with a grin.  
  
Kagome looked at her in surprise, her face drained of all color. "I would never do something like that with the likes of him! He can go have sex with a tree for all I care! It's not my problem that I'm in heat and he can smell it."  
  
Kotori chuckled, "You know, his body isn't the only one that is trying to get a message through."  
  
"What are you talking about?"  
  
"You know perfectly well what I'm talking about. You yearn to be with him also. It's not like he's alone in his feelings of lust."  
  
Kagome's face turned bright red, "I do not want to have sex with Inuyasha! That's the last thing on my mind!"  
  
"But it's still in your mind. Besides, you've already kissed him twice, and if it wasn't for Kita, you would have let him take your virginity the night of my accident."  
  
"How do you know about that!?"  
  
"Kita told me. You do know that she really wasn't half asleep when she walked in on you two, right?"  
  
"I do now!"  
  
Kotori chuckled, "I'm sorry. Kita told me that she noticed when you got up and went to Inuyasha. I guess her curiosity got the best of her and she followed you. From what she told me, she purposely interrupted you two just as things were about to get heated."  
  
Kagome thought for a moment, then said, "I guess I'm kind of glad that Kita did that. I don't know if I'm really ready for something like that yet."  
  
"I understand. Maybe you need some time to yourself in your own era. Now, let's get back to the village." said Kotori.  
  
Kagome nodded and followed the path back to the village.  
  
Kotori watched Kagome walk away with a smirk on her face. "I'm going to do you a favor, Kagome. Please don't be angry with me." thought Kotori. Then she followed Kagome out of the forest. 


	16. Sesshomaru's Dilemma

Ok, just to let everyone know, I was forced to take my lemons out of the story so I'm just gonna imply what happens. Oh well, anyway hope you enjoy my new chapter!  
  
~Ryouko-Kitsune~  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Sesshomaru was careful not to let anyone know he was in Kaede's village. He wanted to see how strong the priestess actually was first. He had thought his plan over very carefully. He would send a strong demon out to create a distraction for his brother, and in all the chaos, he would snatch the girl from right under their noses. Of course he would leave Rin with Jaken a good distance away. He didn't want to appear weak to his half-breed younger brother because he cared for a human child.  
  
He quietly slunk through the trees, carefully masking his scent. Suddenly, he heard voices in a clearing close by. Women voices. He hurried to the clearing, careful to hide himself, and looked to see whose voices they were.  
  
He was surprised to find a raven haired girl and an amber haired girl.  
  
"That's Inuyasha's wench. What was her name? Kagome, that's it. Who is the other girl though? She's beautiful." thought Sesshomaru.  
  
Then a name came into his mind. Kotori. Sesshomaru grinned, "That must be the priestess that I'm looking for. She doesn't look strong at all. This should be easy. Maybe instead of killing her, I could take her as my bride..... No! What am I thinking? She's a human! But she's so tempting......"  
  
Still debating on wether he would allow Kotori to live, he quietly slunk away and back to where he had left Jaken and Rin and began to put his plan into action.  
  
"I'm going back home whether you like it or not Inuyasha!" shouted Kagome as she grabbed her backpack and marched over to the Bone Eater's Well.  
  
"You can't just leave whenever you feel like it! We've got jewel shards to collect!" shouted Inuyasha, through the kimono that covered his sensitive nose.  
  
"Watch me!" said Kagome as she stood up on the rim of the well and jumped in.  
  
"Damn it Kagome!" said Inuyasha. He sat on the edge of the well, stared at the bottom and pouted.  
  
Kotori walked over to Inuyasha and said, "Another fight with Kagome?"  
  
"Feh. Why does she always run out on me like this?"  
  
"Why don't you go after her? Show her that you can survive in her world. Show her that she needs you. Get to know her better maybe?" said Kotori, trying not to sound too obvious.  
  
He thought for a minute, then stood up, "Yeah, maybe I should go after her. Show her that she really does need me!"  
  
"That's it Inuyasha! Now go get her!"  
  
Inuyasha sat back down on the edge of the well, "No, I'd better not."  
  
"Why not?!" shouted Kotori.  
  
"I don't know. I guess I just don't want to."  
  
Kotori was about to smack him, when she thought of a better idea. She walked over to him and removed the kimono from his nose.  
  
The scents of Kotori flooded his nostrils and, overpowered by the smells, he fell headfirst into the well.  
  
Kotori looked into the well as he disappeared, "You'll thank me one day!"  
  
Suddenly, she heard the tinkling of her bells and a roar off in the distance. She quickly turned and ran towards the sound, the Kenakari unsheathed. What she discovered shocked her.  
  
A huge, monstrous creature that was at least thirty feet tall was standing near Kaede's hut. It had grey skin and if it crouched down, it would look like a giant bolder. Miroku and Kaede were trying to fight it off, without much luck. They were both wounded and it seemed as though they were in much pain.  
  
Kotori charged at the monster, bringing the Kenakari high above her head, ready to strike. But suddenly, a huge gash appeared on her left shoulder. It started from the middle of her left shoulder blade and ended just above her left breast. It was gushing blood and she sank to her knees in pain. The monster had been hiding it's long razor sharp claws and just as she was about to strike it down, it slashed her, just missing her neck.  
  
"Kotori!" shouted Miroku. He painfully ran over to her and knelt beside her.  
  
She pushed him away and said, "Get out of here Miroku! Take Lady Kaede and Shippo and run! I'll be fine!"  
  
"No! I'm not going to leave you here to die!"  
  
"Well, well. What a touching sight. Too bad that you'll die before you can do anything with that love of yours." said a voice.  
  
Miroku looked up and was surprised to discover Sesshomaru sitting on the demon's shoulder.  
  
"Sesshomaru!" shouted Miroku.  
  
"Yes, I see you remember me. I believe you are one of my filthy half-brother's friends. And you must be the priestess Kotori who is said to have amazing powers." said Sesshomaru.  
  
"So you are Sesshomaru, self-proclaimed lord of the Western Lands. What business do you have with me?" said Kotori, not even looking up from the ground.  
  
"I will reveal that in due time. Just come with me quietly."  
  
"And if I refuse?"  
  
"I will destroy this village and everyone in it." said Sesshomaru as he jumped down from his perch, "Why don't we start with killing that weakling beside you?"  
  
The monster raised it's clawed hand and brought it down to strike. Suddenly, Kotori stood up and ran in front of Miroku, seconds before the claws were to hit.  
  
She closed her eyes and waited for the feeling of it's claws in her flesh, the pain as the muscles were torn open, but it didn't come. She heard the slashing of the claws hitting their mark, but she felt no added pain. She opened her eyes and was surprised to discover that Sesshomaru had shielded her from the monster's attack with his own body.  
  
"He saved me...... Why did he save me?" thought Kotori.  
  
The great Lord of the Western Lands was brought to his knees as a wave of intense pain washed over him. He had been slashed across the chest. The wound was in the shape of an arc, beginning at his right shoulder down to his left hip.  
  
Slowly, he rose again to his feet and called the monster to him. With one swipe of his mighty claws, he destroyed the creature. Then he turned around, grabbed Kotori, and ran as fast as he could. Kotori didn't put up much of a fight because not only was she seriously wounded, but she was very stunned as well.  
  
As Sesshomaru ran off, the wounded Miroku began to run after him. "Kotori!"  
  
She reached out a hand to grab his, but Sesshomaru picked up his speed and Miroku dropped to his knees, unable to keep up because he was in so much pain.  
  
"Miroku!" she shouted.  
  
"Kotori." he whispered, just before he passed out.  
  
Blades of white hot pain shot throughout her body as her shoulder wound continued to bleed. Time seemed to speed by as Sesshomaru carried her off deep into the forest. When he finally stopped, he fell to his knees in pain and released her.  
  
"Please...... help....... Rin." he told her before he too passed out.  
  
Sesshomaru woke up to a dull throbbing pain in his chest. He slowly opened his eyes and was surprised to find Kotori wrapping bandages around his bare chest.  
  
"I thought I told you to help Rin."  
  
Kotori looked up at him, "Oh, you're awake. Good."  
  
He pushed her away and said, "Rin needs more help than I do. Help her first."  
  
"I already helped her. She's asleep. Now I'm turning my attention to you." she said as she wrapped the bandages around his chest for the last time, "There. Now all you need is rest and some medicine to fight off the infection."  
  
He looked at her and thought to himself, "She's so beautiful, and she's taking care of me even though I attacked her and the others. What is this feeling I have every time I look at her?"  
  
She handed him a cup of herbal mix she had made. He sniffed it, but downed it in one gulp.  
  
"Did it work?"  
  
He looked at her again, "Did what work?"  
  
She sighed, "I'm sorry. I keep forgetting that very few people know about that."  
  
"Know about what?"  
  
"Never mind. You should rest now. You are out of danger, but it is still a long rode to recovery. The wound is deep, and the wound alone could have killed many a powerful demon, let alone the small amount of deadly poison that was injected from the claws. You are very lucky."  
  
"Why did you.... save me?" he asked, his head bowed in pain.  
  
She was surprised at his question. She sat back on her heals and said, "Well, you saved me. It's only right that I should help you. Besides, after I saw that you simply wanted to help a sick little girl, I knew that you weren't so bad after all. I think I can ask the same question."  
  
He hesitated before he answered, "I.... don't know why I saved you. I didn't want you to die because I needed you to help Rin, but at the time..... it was something else...."  
  
"It was my curse."  
  
Sesshomaru looked up at her, "You're curse?"  
  
She nodded, "Naraku put a curse on me when I refused his love. Every man that lays eyes on me falls in love with me. Not only was that herbal mixture I gave you to help prevent infection, it was also to free you from the effects of my curse."  
  
"I see. But, I feel no different from before."  
  
Kotori's eyes went wide, "You must feel different! You don't look at me in the same way do you?"  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"I mean, you don't want to bed me or anything of that nature, right?"  
  
"Of course not!" said Sesshomaru quickly.  
  
"Oh, good. Then it did work. Well like I said, get some sleep."  
  
Sesshomaru looked down and noticed that Kotori's wound was still bleeding. He reached out to touch her shoulder, but she moved away.  
  
"It's nothing." she said softly.  
  
"No, you're hurt. Come here."  
  
She backed away from him, "I'll be fine."  
  
Suddenly, he grabbed her and sat her on his lap. Then he pulled down the left side of her robes, exposing her bound breasts. He clutched her waist tightly so she couldn't escape and evaluated the seriousness of the wound.  
  
She whimpered slightly in fear at his actions, but stopped when she saw him pick up some of the bandages and wrap them around her wound.  
  
Once he was finished, he pulled the shoulder of her robes back into place. "There. Now you should get some rest too."  
  
She gazed into his golden eyes and smiled, "Thank you."  
  
"You're welcome." he said as he released his grip on her.  
  
He laid his back against a tree trunk and gazed at Kotori as she stood up and walked over to where Rin was sleeping.  
  
"Priestess."  
  
She turned around, "Call me Kotori."  
  
"Kotori then. I just wanted to say..... thank you for all that you've done."  
  
She smiled, "You're welcome." Then she turned back around and knelt beside Rin.  
  
He closed his eyes and tried to concentrate on sleep, yet his mind was racing.  
  
"Why do I feel the same as before? I still have the same thoughts going through my head as I did when I first saw her. Is it true? Am I really...... falling in love with a human? No, it can't be. I despise humans. A little bit of pain makes my mind do some strange things. But......." thought Sesshomaru, but the herbs had taken affect on him and he fell into a deep sleep. 


	17. Soul Mates

Caution! This chapter contains LEMON CONTENT!!!!! All underage childern go away!!!! If you don't like it, then don't read it! Please respect this warning! Anyway, Hope you all like the new chapter!  
  
~Ryouko-Kitsune~  
  
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Inuyasha gripped the side of the well as he pulled himself over the edge. He was still a little dazed, so he laid his back against the side of the well and looked up the stairs of the well house. The sun had set and the moon shone brightly, almost completely dark.  
  
"Damn Kotori! Why did you do that? What are you plotting?" muttered Inuyasha to himself.  
  
Once his head stopped spinning, he stood up and walked out of the well house and made his way to Kagome's house.  
  
"I might as well spend some time with Kagome while I'm here. You never know what trouble she could get into." thought Inuyasha as he quietly snuck into Kagome's house.  
  
He silently passed through the living room and began to climb the staircase to Kagome's room, when he heard something behind him. Before he had a chance to see who it was, a single word echoed through his ears. "SIT!"  
  
Inuyasha crashed face-first onto the stairs, temporarily paralyzed. He heard Kagome walk up the stairs to where he lay and saw her kneel beside him.  
  
"Why did you follow me, Inuyasha?" asked Kagome angrily.  
  
Inuyasha slowly sat up as he regained the feeling in his limbs, "I didn't purposely come. Kotori took my kimono away from my nose so I would faint and fall into the well!"  
  
"Then why didn't you go back through the well? Nobody's making you stay here."  
  
"Well, maybe I wanted to stay! Or maybe I was just making sure you didn't get into any trouble!" exclaimed Inuyasha.  
  
"Like you would ever care about anyone besides yourself." said Kagome, bitterly.  
  
"Feh. What do you know? You're just a stupid human!"  
  
"A stupid human? And what about all those things you told me in the Feudal Era? Were they just lies?" shouted Kagome, trying to hold back the tears that were threatening to fall.  
  
Inuyasha was hurt by Kagome's accusation. He cupped her chin in his hand and raised her head to look at him. "No. I would never lie to you, Kagome. I love you."  
  
Tears streamed down her face and she turned her head away, "No you don't. You love Kikyo, not me. I'm just her reincarnation. A look-alike shell for a used soul. I'm just there to try and fill the emptiness in your heart. I don't know why you even bothered to continue to protect me."  
  
Inuyasha grabbed her shoulders and forced her to look at him, "How dare you say that! You and Kikyo are completely different! You may harbor her soul in your body, but you are your own person. You're stubborn, hot-tempered, whiny, stupidly independent, caring, considerate, compassionate, intelligent, and the most beautiful woman I've ever set eyes on. Kikyo was nothing compared to you! Those are the reasons that I saved you all those times! Those are only a fraction of the reasons why I want to spend the rest of my life with you beside me!"  
  
Kagome looked at him, "What are you saying?"  
  
Inuyasha sighed, his anger rising, "Don't you get it you stupid girl? I love you Kagome! I want you to be my mate, in fact, I want to mate with you right now, but I'm trying as hard as I can to control myself!"  
  
Kagome looked at him, slightly stunned. It had been a big shock to her system the last time he told her he loved her, but this time it seemed different, more meaningful.  
  
She opened her mouth to say something, but the words wouldn't come out. Instead, she walked over to him, placed her hands on either side of his face, and kissed him.  
  
Inuyasha's eyes went wide for a moment, but he relaxed and slipped his arms around her waist and pulled her towards him.  
  
She broke off the kiss, panting slightly for the lack of air, and looked into his eyes. One look answered every question that had gone through her mind. She could feel the hungry lust growing inside her and the look in his eyes told her that he felt the same.  
  
She grabbed his hand and they walked up the stairs. They stopped in front of the second door on the left.  
  
"What are you doing?" asked Inuyasha puzzled.  
  
She smiled, "Well, you said you wanted me to be your mate. I want you to claim me, Inuyasha."  
  
His eyes widened at her request, "Are you sure that you want to mate with me? You'll be mine forever."  
  
Kagome opened the door to her room and walked in, bringing him with her, "I wouldn't want it any other way."  
  
Kagome closed the door behind them and pointed to her bed, "Si...... oops, I mean..... oh, just make yourself comfortable on my bed. My family is gone for the weekend, so we have the place all to ourselves for the next two days."  
  
His palms were sweaty and he tried to calm himself as she slid onto the bed beside him. She had a glint of mischief in her eyes and she turned and kissed him passionately.  
  
He groaned into her mouth and grabbed her hips. She straddled him and he pulled her down with him as he laid back on the bed. His hands explored her body, caressing her back, her legs, her bottom.  
  
She could feel him begin to grow beneath her and she smiled. Then she moved her hips, rocking back and forth, grinding into him. He groaned and began removing her shirt, slowly slipping it up and off her.  
  
She sat on top of him in her white lace bra and her skirt. He smiled as he looked her over, then he tried to remove her bra.  
  
After several feeble attempts to remove the strange contraption, Inuyasha began to get frustrated.  
  
"Why is this thing so damn complicated to figure out!" he shouted.  
  
Kagome laughed and undid the clasp, letting it slip slowly off her shoulders, and threw it with her shirt. He stared at her breasts, mesmerized by the sight of her perfect orbs.  
  
While he gaped open-mouthed at her, she began to remove his clothes, and in no time he was bare-chested and she was untying his pants. When he came back to his senses, he helped her remove his pants and the rest of her own clothes.  
  
She bent down to capture his lips again and he grasped her hips firmly and flipped her over so he was on top.  
  
She looked at him in surprise, "What did you do that for?"  
  
He grinned, "If we want to do this mating thing right, I have to do it because you don't know the proper ways of the youkai."  
  
She smiled, "Fine."  
  
Happy with her answer, he devoured her mouth in a deep kiss, his hands roaming her naked body. Her breath came in small gasps as he touched her in places no other man had ever been permitted to.  
  
It didn't take long before Inuyasha knew Kagome was ready for him. The scent of her arousal was so strong, that it was almost impossible for him to hold out any longer. He bent over her and she spread her legs apart, waiting to receive him. He positioned himself between her legs and kissed her again, saying, "This will be painful, but I promise that I'll be as gentle as I can."  
  
Kagome smiled and kissed him one final time. Then he entered her, breaking her barrier as swift as he could, hoping that her pain would pass quickly.  
  
Tears formed in her eyes, but she held them back, refusing to let them fall at such a beautiful moment.  
  
When all the pain had gone from his love's eyes, he began to thrust in and out of her, enjoying the sounds she made as she lost herself in ecstacy. They could feel their climaxes building quickly and Inuyasha thrust harder and harder into his human lover, his woman, his mate.  
  
He felt her walls tighten around him and she cried out as she rode the waves of pleasure. Barely a second later, Inuyasha released his seed into her, a low moan emitted from his parted lips.  
  
He bent over his love, eyeing the place where her hip bone was, and bared his fangs. Then quickly, he bit the side of her left hip, teeth digging deep, drawing blood. She cried out in pain, but the pain didn't last for long, because he had begun to move in and out of her again and she could feel herself building up again.  
  
He licked the wound he had inflicted upon his love and granted her and himself another orgasm before he collapsed on top of her, exhausted. She was breathing hard, enjoying his added weight on her body. When he pulled out of her, she whimpered, but he snuggled up to her and held her close to him. Her head rested on his chest and his chin rested on the top of her head. They were comforted by each other's body warmth, and in no time at all, they fell into a deep sleep.  
  
The sun slipped through the curtains of Kagome's bedroom, coming to rest themselves on her face. She slowly opened her eyes and looked around the room, till her eyes rested on Inuyasha. He was still asleep, but he held her close. When she shifted in his arms, he opened his eyes sleepily and smiled at her.  
  
"'Morning." he said, stroking her hair.  
  
"Good morning. How did you sleep?"  
  
"Great. How about you?"  
  
"Pretty good, actually."  
  
He ran his hands over her hips and she winced. She pulled the blankets down and looked for the cause of the pain. There on her left hip, she saw teeth marks. The blood had dried, but the area was pink and tender.  
  
She looked up at him and said, "What is this?"  
  
He touched her hip gently. "That's how youkai mark their mates. You're my mate now, and no one else can touch you so long as I live."  
  
"When did you do it though? I don't remember any pain like that."  
  
He blushed slightly, "Well, I had to do it in the heat of our passion. It doesn't hurt as much that way. It'll be healed in a few days."  
  
She smiled and cuddled up in his arms. "I love you Inuyasha." she whispered.  
  
He grinned and held her close, "I love you too, Kagome."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Ok, so what do you guys think? Is the lemon better? I'm really trying to get them to lighten up so if it's still too much tell me and I'll go for limes. -_-" Hope you all like the story thus far!!!! 


	18. The Western Lands

Hope you all like my new chapter!  
  
~Ryouko-Kitsune~  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Sesshomaru opened his eyes slightly when he felt a sharp twinge of pain in his shoulder. He saw Kotori kneeling beside him, looking at the shoulder where Inuyasha had severed his arm. Suddenly, he realized that his arm was no longer severed, but restored to it's original state. He lightly touched his restored arm and stared at Kotori.  
  
"How did you do this?"  
  
She smiled and unsheathed the sword at her hip and showed it to him, "I used this. It restored your arm."  
  
He inspected the blade and his eyes grew wide. "This is the Kenakari. The legendary sword all demons strive to get. I didn't know that it had healing powers to this extent."  
  
She smiled, "Most people don't. All I did was make a small cut where your arm used to be with the bottom of the blade. Then I used the top of the blade to restore it."  
  
He stared at her in amazement, "But why? Why did you do this for me after I almost killed you and your friends. You had already repaid your debt to me."  
  
She looked into his eyes, "Because I wanted to. Call it a gift if you wish."  
  
He leaned towards her, his face barely inches away from hers. He held his new hand up to her face and stroked her cheek. He could feel her soft, warm skin beneath his fingertips. When he noticed her blushing, he took his hand away.  
  
He noticed that the bandage around her shoulder was soaked with blood. He pulled her robes down slightly and unwrapped the bandage. She winced slightly as he removed it, but kept silent. He cleaned it and wrapped it again in clean bandages.  
  
"Fool. Why didn't you use that sword of yours on your own wound?"  
  
"Because I can't."  
  
He looked at her in surprise, "Why not?"  
  
She hesitated before she spoke, "I don't know. I just...... can't. Besides, I'll be fine."  
  
She stood up and began to walk away from him. She swayed a bit and suddenly her knees gave out from under her. Sesshomaru quickly went over and caught her in his arms before she hit the ground. She had lost consciousness and she laid limp in his arms.  
  
He sighed and cradled her in his arms and walked over to where Jaken was sitting.  
  
"Jaken."  
  
He stood up and squeaked in fear, "Yes milord?"  
  
"Gather Rin and the priestess's things. We shall be returning to the western lands."  
  
He bowed and hobbled off, saying, "Yes milord."  
  
It took them a day to reach Sesshomaru's castle in the center of the western lands. It was nestled on the side of a mountain, and looked as if the castle was simply carved into the mountain itself. They passed through the large stone doors and climbed the massive stone steps till they reached the west wing where all the rooms were located.  
  
Sesshomaru looked down and Jaken and Rin and said, "Take Rin to her chambers. I'm going to take care of this priestess."  
  
He opened the door to his chambers and Jaken squeaked, "Milord! Why don't you put the lovely young maiden in a room of her own? I know how much you hate humans and I don't think you would want her scent, no matter how lovely..... I mean disgusting, in your bed."  
  
He looked down at Jaken, "Do you question my judgement, toad?"  
  
"Oh no, milord! I would never do such a thing! I was simply making a suggestion. Please forgive me!"  
  
He chuckled a bit, "Well, next time keep your suggestions to yourself. Unless I call for you, you are not allowed in this room, understand?"  
  
"Yes milord," replied Jaken half-heartedly, "But what about the little human?"  
  
"She may come and go as she pleases like always, but you are to stay out. Am I making myself clear?"   
  
"Yes milord." said Jaken as he took Rin to her room.  
  
Rin turned around and hugged Sesshomaru's leg before she ran after Jaken. Sesshomaru smiled slightly, but quickly disguised it and walked into his chambers, closing the door softly behind him.  
  
He crossed the room to where a large bed sat with silk sheets and a large silk coverlet. He laid Kotori on the bed and stared at her for a moment. Her chest rose and fell slowly, and she looked pale.  
  
He felt her forehead and sighed, "She has a fever. I'm surprise that she's lived this long with that demon venom in her veins."  
  
She stirred suddenly and tears began to fall down her cheeks.  
  
"Miroku." she whispered.  
  
She said the name so softly that it was almost inaudible for the normal human ear, but Sesshomaru heard it as clear as day. He wiped the tears from her cheeks and stroked the side of her face. She stopped crying and fell back to sleep.  
  
"She's dreaming about that monk," he thought sadly, "Wait, why do I care? She's a filthy human and she can dream about whoever she wants."  
  
Just as he was about to leave the room, he turned back around and sighed, "I need to repay my debt to her for taking care of me and Rin." he thought.  
  
He sat back down on the bed and found a clean cloth. He filled the basin that sat beside the bed with cool water, dipped the rag in it, and wiped her forehead.  
  
  
  
When Kotori opened her eyes, she was taken aback. She quickly sat up and looked at her surroundings. This wasn't the forest that she remembered. Where was she?   
  
"I see you're awake. Good."  
  
She quickly turned in the direction of the voice. She saw Sesshomaru sitting in a chair beside the bed.  
  
"Where am I?"  
  
He chuckled, "You are in my bed. This is my castle in the western lands."  
  
She blushed and tried to get out of the bed, but a sharp pain shot through her shoulder and she laid back down, trying hard not to cry out.  
  
He stood up and walked over to the bed, "You mustn't move so much. Your wound is very deep and you have a fever." He pulled the sheets over her and brushed a strand of hair from her face.  
  
"But I need to get back! Miroku might be dying and I need to take care of him!" she said, tears forming in her eyes.  
  
He sighed, "You are staying here until you're better. I promise that when you are healed, I will take you to back to that village."  
  
"But he needs me now!" she cried.  
  
Sesshomaru stared at her in surprise. "I could have killed you, but I decided to take you back to my home and take care of you. This is how you repay my kindness?" he asked, his anger rising.  
  
She was shocked at his sudden outburst. "I'm sorry, you are right. I should be grateful to you for what you have done. My priorities are all mixed up." she said softly.  
  
His eyes softened, realizing that it was the fever talking, but quickly regained his composure, "You are forgiven. Now, rest for a while and if you feel up to the occasion, you may join Rin and myself in dinner."  
  
"Thank you, I shall hope to do so." she replied softly.  
  
"Good. I will send Rin up in a few hours to see how you're feeling. I must go now." He turned and headed towards the door.  
  
"Sesshomaru!"  
  
He turned around, "Yes?"  
  
"Thank you for everything."  
  
He stood there for a moment, not sure about how to answer. Finally, he nodded and walked out the door, closing it softly behind him.  
  
Inuyasha's head emerged from the well in the Feudal Era just as the sun touched the horizon in the late evening. He sniffed the air cautiously, searching for any signs of humans in the vicinity. There weren't, so he climbed over the edge of the well and pulled Kagome up with him.  
  
She began to walk towards the village when Inuyasha grabbed her hips and brought her to him, nuzzling her neck. She giggled and stroked his dog ears, receiving a deep growl of approval from her mate.  
  
They made their way through the forest and into the village. What they saw shocked them. Huts had been destroyed and lay in pieces on the ground, trees had been broken in half, several bodies littered the ground. The villagers were helping one another clean up the village and bury the bodies.  
  
The scents of blood and death filled Inuyasha's nose and, grabbing Kagome, he ran to Kaede's hut.  
  
They burst through the door and found the old priestess sitting beside a sleeping form covered in blankets. The priestess had her left arm in a sling and some bandages around her forehead.  
  
"What happened here?" shouted Inuyasha, his tone frantic.  
  
"Your brother paid us a visit. He took Kotori." said a soft voice coming from beneath the blankets.  
  
Kagome and Inuyasha moved closer to the futon but the form remained still. Kagome held out her hand to pull the blankets down a little and reveal who was beneath it.  
  
The form shrank from her touch and shouted, "Don't touch me!"  
  
Kagome pulled her hand back quickly and Inuyasha's eyes went wide.  
  
"Miroku? Is that you?" asked Inuyasha, "What happened?"  
  
Kaede sighed and said, "Your brother, Sesshomaru, came to the village demanding that Kotori come with him. He had brought one of his monsters and it attacked the village. Miroku and myself tried to hold it off, but we weren't strong enough. Kotori came running from the forest and attacked the monster, but it slashed at her and wounded her deeply. She was weakened and he grabbed her after he destroyed his monster and ran off. That was three days ago."  
  
"He took her..... he took my Kotori...." said Miroku softly.  
  
"What happened to Shippo, Kita, and Shigure?" asked Kagome.  
  
"I had sent them to the next village that day. They're helping the village clean up now." replied Kaede.  
  
"She's gone..... he took her." said Miroku.  
  
Inuyasha pulled down the blankets to see how badly the monk was wounded. He was bare-chested, but the majority of his torso was wrapped in bandages, stained with blood. From the top of his right shoulder to his wrist was covered in bandages and his face had cuts and bruises all over.  
  
He was lying on his back and when Inuyasha pulled the blankets away, he turned his head away from them. Tears threatened to fall from the monk's eyes, but he held them back.  
  
"Oh, Miroku." said Kagome as she laid a comforting hand on his.  
  
He pulled his hand from her and said, "What if he hurts her? What's going to happen to her when I'm not there to protect her? What if...... what if he...... killed her?"  
  
"Stop talking like that, Miroku! We'll find her, alive and well, and then everything will be ok!" shouted Inuyasha.  
  
Miroku looked angrily and him and shouted, "You don't understand! You'll never understand how I feel about her!"  
  
"Relax, Miroku. We'll go and find her." said Kagome.  
  
"We need to find her now!" shouted Miroku.  
  
"Don't yell at her like that or I swear I'll tear out your throat, monk!" said Inuyasha.  
  
Miroku stared at Inuyasha for a few moments, then stood up, with some difficulty, and walked out of the hut.   
  
Kagome glared at Inuyasha, "Can't you have any sympathy for the poor guy? The love of his life was hurt and then snatched away from him, and he can't find her himself because he's hurt too. He's very upset, and you go and threaten to kill him! What kind of friend are you?"  
  
Inuyasha looked at her, but said nothing.  
  
"Anyway," she continued, "We do need to find Kotori as soon as possible. You never know what Sesshomaru could want with her."  
  
Inuyasha nodded in agreement and stood up, "We'll leave now. Come on Kagome."  
  
Kagome stood up and followed Inuyasha out of the hut. They found Miroku sitting with his back against a tree and his head down.  
  
"I'm sorry for what I said, I guess I was just a little worked up. We're going to get her back, Miroku. I promise. We're leaving now, and I bet I know where Sesshomaru took her." said Inuyasha.  
  
Miroku raised his head a little and said, "I'm coming with you."  
  
Kagome looked at him in shock. "You can't! You're really hurt and you need to rest until you're healed."  
  
"She's right, Miroku. You'd only slow us down." said Inuyasha.  
  
Miroku looked at them, tears were streaming down his cheeks. "Please, this is something I have to do. Please let me come with you."  
  
Inuyasha stared at him for a moment, unsure of what to say. Finally, he said, "Fine."  
  
Kagome helped Miroku stand up and they walked back to the village, gathered a few things, and left.  
  
"Where do you think he went, Inuyasha?" asked Kagome.  
  
"The western lands." he replied. 


	19. Mysterious Feelings

Kotori opened her eyes and pushed a strand of hair from her face. The light was fading in the sky and she guessed she had been asleep for about three hours. She was feeling better than she had earlier and began to wonder when Rin was coming to see her.  
  
As if the Gods read her mind, there was a small knock at the door.  
  
"Come in!" she called, sitting up in the bed.  
  
The door creaked open and a dark-haired little girl entered the room, shutting the door behind her. Rin remained still, never taking her dark eyes off the young priestess.  
  
She slipped out of the bed and knelt beside Rin, holding out her hand for the little girl to take.  
  
"It's okay. I won't hurt you." she said softly.  
  
Rin smiled and moved closer to Kotori.  
  
"So you're name is Rin?" Rin nodded, "Well that's a nice name. My name's Kotori."  
  
"Will Kotori play with me?" she asked excitedly.  
  
Kotori smiled, "Yes, I'll play with Rin."  
  
Rin smiled and took Kotori's hand, "I must take you to see Sesshomaru-sama. Then we can play. Come with me."  
  
Kotori nodded and followed her out the door. Rin lead her down the hall and down two flights of stairs. She finally stopped in front of a slightly opened door.   
  
She cautiously looked down the hallway. Finding no one, she turned to Kotori and said, "I don't see Jaken. It's safe."  
  
Rin walked into the room, pulling Kotori by the hand. It was a large room with three large windows, several chairs, and a large fireplace. A fire burned in the fireplace, casting flickering shadows across the room.  
  
Sesshomaru sat in a chair beside the fireplace, the shadows danced across his face, giving him an added mysterious air about him. For the first time, she noticed that Sesshomaru was quite handsome.  
  
"Look Sesshomaru-sama! I brought Kotori for you!"  
  
He gave her a small smile, "Thank you Rin. You may go and play if you wish."  
  
"I'll go out and wait for her in my room." she replied.  
  
"That's fine. I will be sure to send her there when we're done." said Sesshomaru.  
  
Rin smiled and gave Kotori's hand one final squeeze before she left the room.  
  
After a few minutes of silence, Sesshomaru spoke, "Please, take a seat."  
  
She muttered a thank you and sat in the chair across from him.  
  
"I see Rin has taken a liking to you. She doesn't have many playmates, so it's good for her to have another human to interact with." said Sesshomaru.  
  
"She said that you wanted to see me. What about?"  
  
"I told her that if you felt well enough, she could take you to me and we could converse. I thought you would enjoy some friendly conversation. Was I wrong in my assumption?"  
  
"Oh, no. You were quite right. It was quite lonely all by myself."  
  
He chuckled, "I see. Well, how are you feeling?"  
  
"Much better thank you."  
  
"I'm happy to hear that."  
  
After another pause, Kotori looked up at him and said, "May I ask you something?"  
  
"Of course."  
  
She hesitated before she spoke, choosing her words carefully. "Why did you take care of me? You owed me nothing."  
  
He was surprised at her question, but said, "Call it a gift."  
  
She looked at him and smiled, "Thank you."  
  
He nodded and stood up, "Well, I'm sure Rin is expecting you. I'll take you to her, then you can join us for dinner."  
  
He lead her down the hallway, his face as cold and emotionless as stone.  
  
"I wonder why he's so cold. He can't be all bad, otherwise he wouldn't have cared for me and taken me back to his castle." she thought.  
  
He stopped and stared at her, "What is it?"  
  
She realized that she had been staring at him for some time now.  
  
She blushed furiously, "I'm sorry, I was just thinking."  
  
"About what?"  
  
"Nothing, never mind." she replied, her face turning a deep crimson.  
  
They were silent again for a time, but Kotori let her mind wander and, unintentionally, her eyes drifted back to the demon lord.  
  
Suddenly, Kotori, not paying any attention to where she was going, tripped on a crack in the floor and fell forward. Sesshomaru quickly turned around and caught her in his arms before she hit the ground.  
  
They stayed like that for a few moments, her bent over his arm, him supporting her weight with his right arm and his left hand on the small of her back. The right side of her head was pressed to his chest and she could hear his heartbeat, steady and soothing.  
  
She shifted slightly in his arms and he felt something soft caress his right arm. He realized that his arm was pushing against the underside of her breasts.  
  
He felt the heat rise in his cheeks and he thought to himself, "Gods she's beautiful, and she smells wonderful. Wait, there's another smell. Oh Gods! She's in.... in... in heat! But why am I feeling this way? She's just a human! I shouldn't feel like this! I've never been around a human woman in heat before, so how is it going to effect me? What am I going to do?"  
  
He was quickly brought back to reality by Kotori's soft, sweet voice, "Um, Sesshomaru, you can let me go now. I'm okay."  
  
He blushed deeply and helped her stand up straight, "Ahem.... Sorry."  
  
She blushed slightly too, "That's ok. I should have been looking where I was going. Thanks for catching me."  
  
"Sure, no problem."  
  
An awkward silence followed his words. Finally, Sesshomaru spoke again, "Well, um..... here's Rin's room. I'll have someone bring you up some new clothes and you can change before dinner."  
  
"Okay, thank you."  
  
"You're welcome." he replied, and he made his way back down the hall as Kotori entered Rin's room.  
  
As he walked down the hall, he feverishly tried to figure out what was causing these odd feelings.  
  
"What is going on? I shouldn't be having these feelings! I can't be having these feelings! She's a human and I'm a powerful demon lord! I can't, no, I won't become my father!" he decided as he opened the door to his chambers.  
  
The scent of cherry blossoms and fresh dew flooded his nose. "Her scent." he thought.  
  
He made his way over to the bed and sat down, tantalized by the scent of the human priestess. He was unhappy to discover that her scent was stronger on his bed.  
  
"Well, what did I expect? She did sleep in it." he thought.  
  
He lightly touched his pillow, the pillow where her head had rested. There was still an imprint in the bed sheets where she had lain. He ran his hands over the sheets, the same fabric that had caressed her beautiful body in a most intimate embrace. Her scent was all around him and the sweetness of it was making him dizzy.  
  
"I can't believe this. I'm falling for that damned human!"  
  
There was a knock on Rin's door. Kotori opened it and discovered the toad-servant, Jaken, standing on the other side, holding a beautiful ocean blue, silk kimono.  
  
"My beautiful lady, Lord Sesshomaru has requested that you accept this gift and wear it this evening." said Jaken, holding the kimono above his head for Kotori to take.  
  
"Um..... thank you." She carefully took the kimono from Jaken and waited for him to leave.  
  
When he didn't move, she spoke, "Uh, is there something you wanted?"  
  
He gazed up at her, his eyes seemingly glazed over, "Only to gaze upon you, lovely maiden."  
  
Rin stepped in front of Kotori and glared at Jaken, "Go away Jaken! You won't bother Kotori-chan!"  
  
Jaken glared at her, but turned and walked down the hallway. Rin smiled to herself and looked up at Kotori.  
  
She smiled at Rin, "Thank you Rin."  
  
"You're very welcome! I don't like Jaken. He has to go away when I say so."  
  
Kotori patted her head and they walked back into the room. She laid the kimono out on Rin's bed and inspected it. It was made of beautiful ocean blue silk with cherry blossoms and dragonflies stitched in colored threads.  
  
"Wow! This is amazing! I've never seen anything so beautiful in my life!" exclaimed Kotori as she ran her fingers over the fine silk.  
  
Rin smiled at her, "Sesshomaru-sama must like you very much! He doesn't like humans, except for me! Now he likes you too!"  
  
She blushed at the young girl's words, "Well.... uh, let's get ready for dinner. We don't want to keep Sesshomaru waiting." 


	20. Miroku's Devotion

Inuyasha, Miroku, and Kagome had been walking for several hours now. Every once and a while they had to stop because Miroku was in so much pain. Yet he never complained, he simply gritted his teeth and forged on. Kagome and Inuyasha had to make him stop, or they were sure that he would walk himself to death. The new moon had come and Inuyasha was left defenseless which not only worried him, but Kagome as well.  
  
They stopped beside a stream, and Miroku sat with his back against a large boulder. He stared off into space, not even noticing the water and bread Kagome had brought him.  
  
When she looked into his eyes, she was shocked. They were dying, as if all the pain and anguish he had suffered was slowly draining the life from him. She touched his shoulder gently, but he pulled away from her.  
  
"Miroku, you need to eat something." she said softly, pushing the bread and water towards him.  
  
He turned his head away from her, "I'm fine."  
  
Inuyasha walked up behind Kagome and scowled, "Snap out of it, Miroku! You're not the only one who cares about Kotori! We're all just as worried about her as you are!"  
  
He didn't look at Inuyasha or Kagome, he simply stared off into space. Inuyasha grabbed his shoulders and forced him to look at him. He too saw the pain in Miroku's eyes.  
  
"Why won't you listen to me, Miroku? We're going to find her and save her! Don't you have any faith in us?"  
  
Miroku stared at him, "Of course I do. But what if...... we're too late?"  
  
"Don't talk like that! She's going to be fine! You just have to have a little faith in our cause or we won't accomplish anything!" snapped Inuyasha.  
  
"You're right," he said as he stood up, "Let's get going. It'll take us about a week to get to the Western Lands on foot and with our frequent stops. I don't want to waste any time."  
  
Inuyasha and Kagome nodded and stood up. Miroku pulled up his monk robes that had slipped, making sure that the bandages were covered. The last thing they needed right now was for a youkai to find them and discover that one of their party was wounded.  
  
Sesshomaru sat at the long table in the dinning hall, waiting, slightly nervous, for Kotori and Rin. Finally, they walked down the stairs together.  
  
Rin was wearing a clean red kimono and Kotori was wearing the gift he had sent her. Her hair flowed around her like water in a stream and her sparkling blue eyes stared at him intently.  
  
They took their seats at the table, Rin sitting on Sesshomaru's left, Kotori sitting at his right.   
  
Kotori turned towards him and smiled, "Thank you for this beautiful kimono. I've never seen anything more lovely in my life."  
  
"You're welcome. I will be sure to have your priestess robes clean and mended in case you desire them."  
  
"Thank you."  
  
Once they had finished their meal, Kotori spoke, "I have been with you for about three days now, and I feel well enough to travel. I wish to return to my village tomorrow."  
  
"Why so soon?"  
  
"I need to check on my friends, see if they're all right."  
  
He sighed, "As you wish. I will travel with you just in case, if that's all right with you."  
  
She smiled at him and stood up, "Your company would be very much appreciated. Now, I wish to retire. I shall see you in the morning."  
  
He nodded and she walked out of the hall. "I wish she didn't have to leave so soon." he thought to himself.  
  
Kotori lay curled up in a ball on Sesshomaru's bed, tears streaming down her face.  
  
"Miroku.... Please be ok Miroku. I miss you so much. And I miss Kita, Kagome, Inuyasha, Shigure, Shippo, and Lady Kaede. But I miss you the most, Miroku my love. I'm coming. I'm coming back to the village. I swear it!"  
  
She sobbed into the bed, the tears flowing down her face. As she thought of each of her friends, pictures of them came into her mind and she sobbed harder. When she thought of Miroku, she could almost feel his arms around her, his hands caressing her face, his lips against hers. Her body ached to be in his arms again, for him to love her.  
  
"I hate being here! I want to go back to Kaede's village! Back to Miroku!" she thought.  
  
She sat up in the bed and wrapped her arms around herself. She felt dirty, and she wanted a bath. After making sure that her eyes were dry and not red or puffy, she carefully opened the door and snuck down the hall to Rin's room.  
  
As she turned the corner, Jaken came down the hall and saw her. He rushed to her, bowing deeply.  
  
"Milady! What are you doing walking around these corridors so late?"  
  
"I.... uh... wanted to take a bath, but I don't know where I'm going." she replied.  
  
"Well, my beautiful lady, I will escort you to the hot springs. Please follow me!"  
  
Kotori sighed heavily and followed Jaken down the hall. It wasn't long before they reached a door on the left side of the hallway.   
  
Jaken pointed to it and said, "Here you are, Milady! You'll find towels and bathing materials inside."  
  
"Uh.... thanks." said Kotori as she opened the door and walked into the room beyond.  
  
She closed the door behind her and looked around. It looked like a small lake, with massive boulders protruding from the ground and trees and flowers surrounded the pool, giving the spring a look of a secret haven. A few towels and a bar of soap were sitting on a small table beside a dressing screen. She picked up one of the towels and walked behind the screen.  
  
She undressed and folded the silk kimono carefully and placed it on a nearby chair, then she wrapped the towel around her torso and walked from behind the screen.  
  
She walked over to the edge of the water, then looked around to make sure that she was alone. She was, so she took the towel off and slipped into the warm, comforting water. She closed her eyes and let her mind wander as she was soothed by the lapping of the water.  
  
"I'm really glad that he's letting me go, but I'm going to miss Rin. She's so sweet and she's all alone....." she thought.  
  
Suddenly, her thoughts were interrupted by a rustling in the trees. She quickly opened her eyes and gazed up into the foliage. There, she saw a pair of glinting red eyes and she heard the soft tinkling of her enchanted bells.  
  
She reached for her towel, but before she could get out of the hot spring, the figure jumped down from the tree and landed in the water in front of her. It pushed her back against a boulder, grabbed her upper arms, and made her face it.  
  
As she looked over her attacker, she noticed that he was male and a full-blooded dog youkai, though he looked nothing like Inuyasha or Sesshomaru. He was a little taller than herself, with dark brown hair that rested at his shoulders and brown eyes and he wore a simple, green kimono, suggesting that he was of a lower class of youkai. He gave her a toothy grin and she noticed his sharp fangs, along with his razor-sharp claws.  
  
"Let go of me you bastard!" she shouted, but he ignored her.  
  
She struggled to release herself from his grasp, but he tightened his grip. Little streams of blood trickled from where his claws met her flesh and she cried out in pain. He sniffed the nape of her neck. "So you're the priestess we heard about. You're better than I expected."  
  
He nibbled at her neck and she whimpered when his fangs drew blood. He stopped and looked at her. He saw the fear and pain in her eyes and grinned. "You're not enjoying this are you?" she shook her head, "Well, you're going to have to get used to it. No male has claimed you, so you're mine for the taking!"  
  
She tried to push him away again, but he grasped her wrists and slammed them against the boulder. He squeezed her wrists and she cried out in pain. "Now, now. Stay still so I can claim you."  
  
Suddenly, he grunted and slumped over her. She saw that there were deep gashes in his back that looked fatal.  
  
"Are you ok?" came a deep voice from the darkness.  
  
Kotori froze, but her eyes drifted towards the shadows. Sesshomaru stepped into the light, his right hand covered in fresh youkai blood. He wiped it away on a patch of grass and looked at her.  
  
"I'm ok now." she replied softly, "Thank you."  
  
He walked over to her and removed the dead youkai. Once she was free, she quickly tried to wash the blood off her arms and neck. He stopped her and cupped her chin in his hand. He saw tears streaming down her face and he took pity on her.  
  
"It's all right now. I promise I won't let that happen to you again." he said softly.  
  
Suddenly, Kotori embraced him and sobbed into his chest. He was taken aback at first, but he wrapped his arms around her and comforted her as her blood and tears mingled with each other on the front of his kimono. 


	21. Secrets Revealed and Kotori's Goodbye?

"Inuyasha! Get down here right now!" shouted Kagome as she looked up into a tree.  
  
"Why should I? I'm human until the sun rises!" retorted Inuyasha from the tree.  
  
"Oh, would you quit whining and come down here and help Miroku and me bring the rest of the firewood to the camp before it gets too dark to see!"  
  
"Do it yourself."  
  
Kagome's anger rose, but she calmed herself and stared at the trunk of the tree. Then she got an idea and began to quietly climb the tree. When Inuyasha finally realized what she was up to, she had already climbed up and seated herself on the branch beside him.  
  
She put a comforting hand on his leg and spoke gently to him. "Come on, Inuyasha. Miroku's wearing himself out. He's really broken up."  
  
Suddenly, they heard the sound of footsteps. Kagome and Inuyasha went silent as Miroku walked, unknowingly, underneath their tree. A sudden pain shot through his injured arm, making him drop all the wood he had been carrying. Once the pain had passed, he cursed under his breath and knelt down to pick up the pieces. After gathering the wood again, he headed back towards the camp.  
  
"See?" whispered Kagome, "Miroku's trying to be helpful, but his body won't let him."  
  
Inuyasha nodded, "Fine. I'll help."  
  
Kagome smiled and gave him a small kiss on the lips. "Thank you, Inuyasha."  
  
He blushed slightly, "No problem."  
  
They climbed down the tree, gathered the rest of the firewood, and headed back towards the camp. They found Miroku sitting with his back against a tree, gazing into the flames of the fire he had started. He didn't even look up when Kagome and Inuyasha walked into the camp and sat down.  
  
Kagome rummaged through her bag she had brought and pulled out a half a loaf of bread. She broke it into three pieces and handed one to Inuyasha.  
  
"Thanks." he said gruffly and Kagome had to hide a smile.  
  
She then walked over to Miroku and held out the bread for him to take. "Here, Miroku. Eat it."  
  
When Miroku made no move to take it, she placed it beside him and walked back to where she had been sitting.  
  
"You don't have to pretend anymore." said Miroku, not taking his eyes off the flames.  
  
Kagome was surprised at his words. "What?"  
  
He hesitated for a moment, still staring into the fire, "I've seen the way you two look at each other, and the way you act when I'm not around. You try and hide it, but you can't."  
  
Inuyasha stood up at this, "What are you talking about, Miroku? There's nothing between me and Kagome, okay? So lay off!"  
  
Miroku looked up at this. His empty eyes gained back some life as a laugh escaped his lips. Inuyasha and Kagome looked at the monk in surprise. It had been some time since he had laughed.  
  
Inuyasha, embarrassed at being laughed at, took up his defense. "What's so funny, monk?"  
  
Miroku, still chuckling, stood up and walked over to Kagome. "Then how do you explain this?" He lifted the left side of her shirt to reveal the mark on her hip.  
  
Inuyasha was speechless and Kagome, after getting over the initial shock, pulled her shirt back down. Both were as red as tomatoes.   
  
Miroku chuckled again, "Now, I may be a humble monk, but I know a youkai's mark when I see one. Plus, you two haven't been fighting as much since you came back. One can only assume the reason for these strange occurrences."  
  
"So what if I claimed Kagome? So what if I'm in love with her? It's none of your damn business, monk! So stay out of it!" shouted Inuyasha as he walked behind Kagome and placed a hand on both her hips.  
  
The dying look returned to Miroku's eyes, "Now you know how I feel about Kotori."  
  
Inuyasha opened his mouth to reply, but shut it again as Miroku's words began to sink in.  
  
"You don't need to act any different around me or the others. Like you said, it's none of my business, so you are free to show affection for one another. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'd like to go to sleep now." Inuyasha and Kagome nodded dumbly at him and he curled up in a blanket and fell asleep.  
  
They simply looked at each other as the realization of Miroku's words took effect. Inuyasha sighed, "I hate it when that damn monk is right."  
  
Kotori re-bandaged her shoulder and put on her clean priestess robes that Sesshomaru's servant, Jaken, had bought just as the sun reached it's highest point in the sky. Her body ached all over from her attack the night before, but she pushed the pain to the back of her mind and went on without complaint. Once she was ready, she found Sesshomaru waiting with Rin and Jaken in the dining hall.  
  
He stood up when he saw her and walked towards her. "Are you ready to leave?"  
  
She nodded, "Yes. Just let me say goodbye to Rin."  
  
He nodded, "Of course."  
  
She walked over to Rin and knelt before her, smiling, "I had a great time with you, Rin, but I must leave now."  
  
Rin looked sad, "Where are you going, Kotori-chan?"  
  
"Back to my home. To see my family and friends."  
  
"Will you ever come back to see us?"  
  
Kotori looked at Sesshomaru, "If Sesshomaru-sama will allow it."  
  
He walked over to Rin and Kotori, "Of course. You are welcome to come back and stay anytime you like."  
  
Kotori smiled at him and turned back to Rin, giving her a hug, "Goodbye, Rin."  
  
"Goodbye, Kotori-chan."  
  
She smiled at Rin and stood up. Then she followed Sesshomaru out of the castle and into the woods. They stayed silent for quite some time, simply looking at the scenery, then Sesshomaru spoke up, "I meant what I said about you being able to come and stay anytime you wanted."  
  
She looked at him and smiled, "Thank you very much. I would be glad to come and visit you and Rin again."  
  
He looked straight ahead, trying to hide his expression, "I know Rin will miss you, and I..... I will miss you as well."  
  
She smiled, "I'll miss you too, Sesshomaru."  
  
  
  
They had stopped again to rest. Ever since Inuyasha said they were about a day from Sesshomaru's manor, Miroku hadn't sat still. While Kagome and Inuyasha roasted fish over the fire, he paced back and forth.  
  
"For God's sake, would you sit down, Miroku!? You're driving me insane!" said Inuyasha bitterly as he watched the monk.  
  
"How can I when we're so close to her?"  
  
Kagome stood up and walked over to him, "She'll be fine. She's strong. She can take care of herself for a few days."  
  
He nodded, but it didn't help him relax at all. "I'm going to take a walk. I'll be back soon."  
  
"Um... Okay, Miroku." replied Kagome as he disappeared into the shadows.  
  
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Sorry for the short chapter, but I have a really bad case of writer's block! The next chapter is going to play a really important in the plot of this story. Hope you liked this chapter and I also hope that you are looking forward to the next one! The next one is called, 'Naraku's Trap' so stick with me!  
  
~Ryouko-Kitsune 


	22. Naraku's Trap

Sorry I have written anything for such a long time! I had a serious case of writers block! Well, hope you like this chapter.  
  
~Ryuuko-Kitsune~  
  
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He walked slowly through the forest, thinking about Kotori. Every time he tried to think about something else, his mind drifted back to her. Where she was, what she was doing, if she was hurt, if she was alive, if she was thinking about him, if she missed him.  
  
Suddenly, he heard a rustling in the trees. He quickly turned around and his jaw dropped when he saw a woman emerge from the trees. Her left shoulder sported a large gash that was bleeding freely, staining her already dirtied and tattered priestess robes. As she walked towards him, she smiled.  
  
"Hello, Miroku." she said softly.  
  
"Kotori?" he ran to her and embraced her tightly, burying his face in her hair, "Kotori! I thought I had lost you forever!"  
  
She stroked his hair lovingly, "You can never lose me, Miroku. I'm yours until the day I die."  
  
Pulling back slightly from him, she planted a soft kiss on his lips. She encircled her arms around his neck and pulled him back to her. He returned her kiss and wrapped his arms around her waist, pressing their bodies together. His tongue explored her mouth, indulging himself in something that he was denied for longer than he had wanted. He was so relieved that she was here with him, that he could hold her in his arms. She was with him now, and that was all that mattered.  
  
Kotori hid herself behind a tree and stared in horror as Miroku, her Miroku, kissed another woman. The woman had silky, black hair that was tied up in a bun that rested at the top of her head with two small feathers hanging from it. She wore a bright-colored kimono with a large, bright obi. Tucked into the bow of her obi was a large fan.  
  
She felt as if her heart had been ripped out of her chest. How could he betray her like this? She had given him her unconditional love, then she's gone for a few days and he's already off with another woman. He told her that he loved her! How could she have believed such lies?  
  
Tearing her eyes from the sickening scene before her, she ran into the forest, tears streaming down her cheeks. Dashing blindly through the trees, she came upon a clearing. Sesshomaru sat beneath one of the trees, his head against the trunk and his eyes closed. Seeing him through her tears, she ran over to him and knelt beside him, placing her head on his chest, sobbing.  
  
He quickly opened his eyes and looked down at her in surprise. Slowly, he wrapped his arms around her, "What's wrong? Are you hurt?"  
  
She gripped his kimono in her fists, but kept her head against his chest. "H-He. . . betrayed me. Miroku betrayed me. . ."  
  
His eyes went wide and his grip on her tightened, "Did he hurt you? I swear, if he did, I'll kill him. . ."  
  
"N-No. He didn't. . . physically hurt me."  
  
"Then what did he do? Tell me."  
  
She hesitated for a moment. Her sobbing had ceased, but she spoke in a whisper, "He had his arms around another woman. . ."  
  
His gaze darkened, "That bastard. . . I'll kill him for doing that to you. You don't deserve to be treated like that by anyone."  
  
She looked up at him in shock, "No, please don't. No matter how much he hurt me, I could never wish him dead. Ever."  
  
Sesshomaru relaxed, "Well, then what is it you wish to do?"  
  
She thought for a moment, "Well, can I come back to stay with. . . you?"  
  
Running his fingers through her hair, he smiled. "Of course. You can stay forever, if that is what you desire," Standing up, he helped her to her feet, "Is there anything you wish to do before we depart?"  
  
She rested her head on his chest again and he slid his arms around her, "No. I want to leave and never come back. . ."  
  
  
  
She pulled back from Miroku's embrace and walked, with a smile, away from him. He was confused. Why was she walking away from him when they had just been reunited?  
  
"Kotori? Where are you going?"  
  
She turned around and smirked, but said nothing and continued to walk away. When she disappeared among the shadows of the trees, he darted after her. There was no way he was going to lose her again. Ever.  
  
He chased after her, roughly shoving away tree branches. He came upon a clearing and at the far end of that clearing stood Sesshomaru with his arms wrapped around. . . Kotori.  
  
Without even bothering to keep silent, he ran over to them and looked at Kotori in surprise, "Kotori! What are you doing? Get away from him! He's dangerous."  
  
Kotori looked at him and gave him a look so cold it could kill, "I never want to see you again, Miroku. Ever. Just stay away from me!"  
  
Miroku looked at her in shock, "But. . . Why? I love you, Kotori, with every fiber of my being."  
  
Tears began to fall down her cheeks again, "You're a liar, Miroku! And I was stupid enough to believe your lies. You never loved me. . ."  
  
"But Kotori. . .!"  
  
"Enough lies, Miroku!" She turned to Sesshomaru, "Can we leave now? I don't want to see his face ever again."  
  
"Yes, of course." replied Sesshomaru. He summoned the demon he used for travel, then took her hand and helped her up onto it.  
  
Miroku was still in shock as he watched her mount the demon, "Wh-Where are you going, Kotori?"  
  
Taking one last look at the stunned Miroku, she gave him another icy look. "As far away from you as I can. I never want to see you again," pausing for a moment, she felt the tears build in her eyes again, "I love you Miroku, but this is the last time I'll ever say it. Goodbye, Miroku. . ."  
  
With those words, Sesshomaru mounted the demon and they took flight. As Miroku watched them fly away, he sank to his knees in the grass and balled his hands into fists, pounding them on the ground. Tears flowed freely down his face and he sobbed her name over and over, "Kotori. . ."  
  
  
  
In the shadows of the trees, a figure cloaked in a white baboon skin stood amid the foliage.  
  
"My plan was almost perfect," said a deep, cold voice that came from beneath the baboon head, "Now, all I have to do is separate her from Sesshomaru, and she'll be mine. . ."  
  
The figure's cold laughter sounded throughout the forest, followed by the buzz of venomous wasps.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
No, this isn't the end, if that's what you were thinking. What will Miroku do now that Kotori's gone? Is she gone for good? Will he go after her? Stay tuned and find out! 


	23. Beneath the Silver Moon

Sorry it's taken me so long to update! I've had a serious case of writer's block x.x Anyways, I hope all of you enjoy this next chapter! As a warning to you all, this does contain LIME situations. Those offended, beware! Please review. I like feedback .  
  
-Ryouko-Kitsune-  
  
Kagome sighed deeply as Inuyasha wrapped his arms around her waist. Following her gaze, he grimaced. Miroku had locked himself up in the shrine ever since they had returned to Kaede's village, deep in spiritual meditation. Now, he was wandering aimlessly about the village, looking very grim. His eyes were bloodshot from lack of sleep, his skin had paled slightly, and he had thinned considerably as well. He really hadn't eaten much since that fateful day.  
  
Inuyasha sighed and looked away, "He needs to move on. This is getting ridiculous. She's been gone almost two months and he still hasn't gotten over it."  
  
Kagome placed a hand on his arm, "Inuyasha, he's very hurt. What Kotori did cut him deep."  
  
He snorted, "I still can't believe she did that. I thought they loved each other."  
  
"I don't think she did it on purpose. . ."  
  
"What do you mean she didn't do it on purpose? How could she not do it on purpose!?"  
  
Kagome pressed her lips tightly together and turned her eyes to him, "I think they were tricked. I'm not sure how, but I'm pretty sure it has to do with Naraku. . ."  
  
A growl was emitted deep in his throat, "Naraku. . . Feh. . . That wouldn't surprise me one bit. But what could he be up to this time?"  
  
She crossed her arms over her chest and shrugged, "I don't know. But it has to be Naraku. I just know it. . ."  
  
Kotori slipped into the hot springs at Sesshomaru's manor and let out a content sigh. It had been a rough two months, and the pain in her heart was still a dull throb, but she had managed to survive. Miroku had cut her deep, but the time she had spent with Sesshomaru helped ease the ache in her heart. He had been very supportive ever since she had returned with him and they had spent many a night awake talking together. She had discovered that she had been more open with him than anyone she had ever met. That thought was comforting in itself.  
  
Closing her eyes, she slid down until the water was neck high and let herself relax. Above her, the stars glittered like hundreds of diamonds in the blackness of the sky and a cool night air blew gently through the trees.  
  
A gentle ripple in the water's surface caught her attention and she quickly opened her eyes. A few large boulders sat a few feet in front of her and she heard a bit of splashing on the other side. Arching a brow, she quietly swam over to them to investigate. To her surprise, there, on the other side of the boulders, was a very handsome, yet very naked Sesshomaru.  
  
Blushing slightly at her predicament, she tried to quietly step away from something she knew she had absolutely no right looking at, but for some reason her eyes remained glued to the sight before her. His back, chest, and arms rippled with steel-hard muscles and his pale, creamy skin seemed to glow in the soft moonlight. His long, silver hair pooled about him and he slid farther into the water with a soft sigh and closed his eyes. Kotori's heart was pounding in her chest. She knew this wasn't right, but she couldn't seem to keep her eyes off him. Sure, she had noticed his good looks before, but they had never really registered in her mind. Was she really beginning to become attracted to her rescuer?  
  
Sesshomaru's deep voice startled her from her thoughts, "I know you're there, Kotori. You have a pleasant scent that seems to follow you everywhere. Please, come join me. I won't bite."  
  
Feeling quite foolish at having been caught, she her cheeks reddened as she peeked around the boulder, "No. . . I'm sorry. This is a total violation of your privacy. . ."  
  
He chuckled and opened his eyes, "Don't be absurd. I don't mind it one bit. In fact, I believe it's much more interesting when one has a companion to converse with in the hot springs."  
  
Hesitantly, she slid around the boulders and settled herself on a rock opposite him, keeping everything below her neck underneath the water. Seeing her discomfort, he couldn't help but grin slightly.  
  
"Don't be ashamed of your body. You are, by far, the most beautiful woman I have ever set eyes on. There is nothing to be ashamed of." His own words surprised him, but what surprised him even more was the fact that they were true.  
  
Kotori looked up at him, utterly astonished, "Wh-what are you saying?"  
  
Moving over to her, he slid his hands around her slim waist and lifted her out of the water and into his arms as he stepped out of the springs. Retrieving a towel and wrapping her in it, he looked down at her, "I'm saying that, during these past few months, I've grown quite fond of you. And, despite the fact that it was against my will, I discovered that I've fallen in love with you, Kotori. . ."  
  
Still being held gently in his arms, she gave him a look of utter shock and confusion. Then, her cheeks began to feel warm as the blood rushed to them and she looked away.  
  
"Why is my heart pounding like this? And why do I feel so warm? I haven't felt like this since. . . since Miroku professed his love to me. . . But how do I really feel for Sesshomaru? He is handsome, strong, and caring. And now he just told me he loves me. . . But what should I say? Do I really love him back? Could I really say that if I did?" Mentally slapping herself, she straightened her thoughts out, "Of course I could. I'm no longer loyal to any man. That liar, Miroku betrayed me. I owe him nothing."  
  
"Lie with me tonight, Kotori. Let me make you mine for eternity. I promise I'll take away all the pain that monk has caused you. Just let me love you. . ." Sesshomaru whispered softly to her. The ice was gone from his voice and now it was a warm, comforting voice. The voice of a guardian and lover.  
  
Looking back up at him with tears in her eyes, she gave him a small smile. "Have me then. . . Love me. . ." she whispered as her lips met his in a passionate kiss.  
  
He wrapped his arms tighter around her and walked out of the hot springs and into his sleeping chambers. Placing her down upon his futon, he smiled down at her and claimed her lips in another deep kiss.   
  
And the moon shone down upon them through the slits in the paper windows as they made passionate love together. 


End file.
